US4331108A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Radial engine
Assignee: Collins Motor Corp Ltd
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Filing: 1980-01-14
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Granted: 1982-05-25
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Expires: 2000-01-14
Abstract
Abstract An engine comprising; a substantially cylindrical housing; a rotor rotatably mounted in said housing on an axis parallel with the longitudinal central axis of the housing to execute an orbital motion within the housing, a plurality of tubular elements each slidably mounted over fixed piston elements projecting substantially inwardly from the housing; said tubular elements being closed at their inner ends and having their inner ends in slidable driving engagement with said rotor for causing reciprocation of the tubular elements over the piston elements upon rotation of the rotor; and the volume of the space defined by the interior of the tubular element and the piston element varying with the rotation of the rotor. The wall of the housing surrounding each side of each piston element defining an annular slot, and the side walls of the tubular element are sealingly and slidably engaged in the slot to form a pumping space between the walls of the tubular element and the sides of the slot of variable volume with the reciprocation of the tubular element. An air inlet port is formed in the housing in communication with said slot, and a port extends through the tubular element from said slot into the combustion space defined between the interior of the tubular element and the piston to pump air into that space. The rotor has a rotor duct therein opening onto the faces of the rotor adjacent the inner ends of the tubular elements, and the tubular elements have supply ducts formed therein opening at one end of the inner end such that they periodically communicate with the rotor duct on orbital rotation of the rotor, the other ends of the supply ducts opening into the faces of the tubular element which are in slidable engagement in the slot, the rotor duct being connected to a lubricant supply associated with the engines.
Inventors
- 👤 Brian S. Collins
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 06:29
CPC Classifications
F; F01; F01B; F01B1/00; F01B1/06; F01B1/0641; F01B1/0655; F01B1/062; F01B13/00; F01B13/04; F01B13/06; F01B13/068; F01B15/00; F01B15/02; F01B9/00; F01B9/04; F02; F02B; F02B57/00; F02B57/08; F02B57/10; F02B75/00; F02B75/16; F02B75/18; F02B75/22; F02B2075/1804; F02B2075/1816; F02F; F02F2200/00; F02F2200/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
383 words
An engine comprising; a substantially cylindrical housing, a plurality of piston elements fixed to said housing and extending radially relative to the longitudinal central axis thereof, a rotor rotatably mounted in said housing on an axis parallel with said longitudinal central axis to execute an orbital motion within the housing, a plurality of tubular elements each slidably mounted over a respective of said fixed piston elements, said tubular elements being closed at their inner ends and having their inner ends in slidable driving engagement with said rotor for causing reciprocation of the tubular elements over the piston elements upon rotation of the rotor whereby the volume of the space defined by the interior of each of said tubular elements and the respective of said piston elements varying with the rotation of said rotor, a cylindrical wall of housing surrounding each of said piston elements being spaced therefrom to define an annular slot, a flange portion formed on each of said tubular elements sealingly and slidably engaged in said slot to form a pumping space between said flange portion of the tubular elements and the sides of the slot of variable volume with the reciprocation of said tubular element, an air inlet port formed in the housing in communication with each of said slots, a port extending through each of tubular elements from said slot into the combustion space defined between the interior of the respective tubular element and the respective piston to pump air into that space, said rotor having a rotor lubricant duct therein opening into the faces of the rotor adjacent the inner ends of the respective of said tubular elements, said tubular elements each having lubricant supply ducts formed therein and opening at one end thereof at the inner end such that they periodically communicate with said rotor lubricant duct on orbital rotation of said rotor, the other ends of said lubricant supply ducts opening into opposite faces of the respective flange portion of said tubular element which are in slidable engagement in the slot, said rotor duct being connected to a lubricant supply associated with the engines, and a lubricant return passage extending from opposite faces of said flange portion through each of said tubular elements to the interior of said housing for returning lubricant to said lubricant supply.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
383 words
An engine comprising; a substantially cylindrical housing, a plurality of piston elements fixed to said housing and extending radially relative to the longitudinal central axis thereof, a rotor rotatably mounted in said housing on an axis parallel with said longitudinal central axis to execute an orbital motion within the housing, a plurality of tubular elements each slidably mounted over a respective of said fixed piston elements, said tubular elements being closed at their inner ends and having their inner ends in slidable driving engagement with said rotor for causing reciprocation of the tubular elements over the piston elements upon rotation of the rotor whereby the volume of the space defined by the interior of each of said tubular elements and the respective of said piston elements varying with the rotation of said rotor, a cylindrical wall of housing surrounding each of said piston elements being spaced therefrom to define an annular slot, a flange portion formed on each of said tubular elements sealingly and slidably engaged in said slot to form a pumping space between said flange portion of the tubular elements and the sides of the slot of variable volume with the reciprocation of said tubular element, an air inlet port formed in the housing in communication with each of said slots, a port extending through each of tubular elements from said slot into the combustion space defined between the interior of the respective tubular element and the respective piston to pump air into that space, said rotor having a rotor lubricant duct therein opening into the faces of the rotor adjacent the inner ends of the respective of said tubular elements, said tubular elements each having lubricant supply ducts formed therein and opening at one end thereof at the inner end such that they periodically communicate with said rotor lubricant duct on orbital rotation of said rotor, the other ends of said lubricant supply ducts opening into opposite faces of the respective flange portion of said tubular element which are in slidable engagement in the slot, said rotor duct being connected to a lubricant supply associated with the engines, and a lubricant return passage extending from opposite faces of said flange portion through each of said tubular elements to the interior of said housing for returning lubricant to said lubricant supply.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
59 words
An engine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said rotor is rotatably received on a crankshaft and said rotor duct comprises an axial duct through said crankshaft periodically communicating with a set of radial ducts in the rotor extending between the crankshaft and the inner ends of the tubular element via at least one radial duct in the crankshaft.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
53 words
An engine as claimed at claim 1 wherein the openings at the other end of the supply ducts open into a slot formed in each face of the tubular element and said slot accommodates an oil ring which controls the flow of lubricant onto the faces of the tubular element from the openings.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
58 words
An engine as claimed at claim 1 wherein a set of exhaust ports are provided through the wall of the tubular element and a set of exhaust ports are provided in the housing, said ports communicating with each other when the combustion space between the interior of the tubular element and the piston is approaching its maximum volume.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
64 words
An engine as claimed at claim 4 wherein a set of fuel inlet ports are provided in the wall of the tubular element and a set of fuel inlet ports are provided in the housing, said fuel inlet ports communicating with each other and with said combustion space when said combustion space begins to contract from its maximum volume for delivery of fuel thereto.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
62 words
An engine as claimed at claim 1 wherein the cylindrical walls of the housing are each formed with a reduced diameter portion towards their radial inner ends in sliding sealing engagement with the exterior face of the respective tubular element to define a closed space between the respective flange and the respective reduced diameter portion, said closed space being said pumping space.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
An engine as claimed at claim 6 wherein said pumping space is in permanent communication with the air inlet port, said air inlet port being connected to an air supply, said port being provided with a one-way valve to permit flow into the pumping space only.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
53 words
An engine as claimed at claim 6 wherein the air intake port provided in the wall of the tubular element is periodically brought into communication with the pumping space with reciprocation of the tubular element otherwise said air intake port being blocked by the face of the reduced diameter portion of the slot.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
An engine as claimed at claim 6 wherein the space between the inner end of the slot and the opposed end of the tubular element and opposed face of the flange defines a second pumping space.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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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) | 1985-05-24 | 1985-11-23 | 1986-05-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1989-05-24 | 1989-11-23 | 1990-05-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1993-05-24 | 1993-11-23 | 1994-05-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |