Engine with counter-rotating rotors having hemicylindrical pistons

Claim 2

An engine, comprising, a first rotor and a second rotor, a means supporting said rotors on a common axis whereby at least one said rotor rotates about said common axis, means on said first rotor and means on said second rotor co-operating to form a toroidal chamber, a first piston disposed in said chamber and a second piston disposed in said chamber, means attached to said first piston and means attached to said second piston restraining said pistons for relative movement to each other in synchronism in opposite directions around said common axis to pass each other at definite positions in said toroidal chamber, means on said rotors to rotate said first piston about a first axis and means to rotate said second piston about a second axis parallel to said first axis at all times, output means connected to said rotors, and means to introduce fluid to said toroidal chamber adjacent said positions after said pistons meet, whereby said fluid forces said pistons to have relative movement in opposite direction from each other in said toroidal chamber and means to exhaust the fluid from said chamber.

Claim 3

The engine recited in claim 1 wherein said means to introduce fluid under pressure to said toroidal chamber comprises a first tubular member having fluid under pressure therein and having a slot in its outer peripheral edge, one said rotor having a axle thereon having a hollow portion receiving said tubular member and having a slot in the outer periphery thereof adapted to register with said slot in said first tubular member at a time when said pistons meet whereby said fluid under pressure is admitted to the space between said pistons urging said pistons to move away from each other.

Claim 4

The engine recited in claim 2 wherein said first rotor comprises a radial flange thereon extending axially towards said second rotor forming a portion of said toroidal chamber and said second rotor has radial flange thereon extending towards said first rotor whereby a second side of said toroidal chamber and sealing means sealing said flanges to said rotors for relative movement thereof.

Claim 5

The engine recited in claim 3 wherein said pistons have the shape generally of half cylinders of equal diameter and said toroidal chamber is rectangular in cross section, said pistons are rotatable in said chamber to pass each other with their centers co-extensive with each other in said toroidal chamber at the time of passing.

Claim 6

The engine recited in claim 4 wherein one said rotor has a laterally extending flange thereon making sealing engagement with the other said rotor and the other said rotor has a laterally extending flange thereon making sealing engagement with the other said rotor, said flanges on said rotors providing said chamber.

Claim 7

The engine recited in claim 4 wherein a first radially extending flange is supported on said first rotor and a second radially extending flange is attached to said second rotor and a first axially extending flange and a second axially extending flange are each attached to at least one said rotor, said radially extending flanges and said axially extending flanges define said toroidal chamber.

Claim 8

The engine recited in claim 4 wherein a first thrust bearing engages said first rotor restraining its movement away from said second rotor and a second thrust bearing supports said second rotor restraining its movement away from said first rotor to hold said flanges in sealing engagement with said rotors.

Claim 9

The engine recited in claim 7 wherein said means restraining said pistons to move in synchronism comprises a first stationary gear and a second stationary gear spaced from each other and fixed to said engine, said first piston has a first piston gear engaging said first stationary gear and said second piston has a second piston gear engaging said second stationary gear through an idler gear, whereby said second piston is rotated in a direction opposite said first piston.

Claim 10

The engine recited in claim 8 wherein said rotors rotate about an axis parallel to the axis in rotation of said pistons.

Claim 11

The engine recited in claim 9 wherein said means on said rotors forming said toroidal chamber comprises flanges on rotors.

Claim 12

The engine recited in claim 10 wherein said output means comprises a first shaft attached to said first rotor and a second shaft attached to said second rotor, said first shaft and said second shaft being supported on a common axis and output means connected to one of said shafts.

Claim 13

The engine recited in claim 11 wherein said piston gears are half the diameter of said stationary gears.

Claim 14

The engine recited in claim 12 wherein both said first piston gear and said second piston gear are rotatable in the same direction to each other and said synchronizing means comprises a reversing gear means connecting said first piston gear to said second piston gear.

Claim 15

The engine recited in claim 13 wherein said second shaft has said hollow portion receiving said first tubular member and said first shaft has a hollow portion receiving said second shaft.

Claim 16

The engine recited in claim 13 wherein said synchronizing means comprise a first beveled gear on said first shaft and second has a beveled gear on said second shaft and a drive gear disposed between said first beveled gear and said second beveled gear.

Claim 17

The engine recited in claim 15 wherein said first rotor has a first counter weight supported thereon diametrically opposite said first piston and then said second rotor has a second counter weight supported thereon diametrically opposite said second piston.

Claim 18

The engine recited in claim 11 wherein said first rotor is supported on a first shaft, said second rotor is supported on a second shaft concentric to said first shaft, said first shaft has a first gear thereon, and said second shaft has a second gear thereon and output gear engaging said first gear and said second gear whereby said rotors are restrained to rotate in synchronism with each other and output means is connected to one of said gears.

Claim 19

The engine recited in claim 11 wherein said means restraining said pistons to move in synchronism comprises a first gear and a second gear, at least one of said first gear and said second gear being stationary with said engine.

Claim 20

The engine recited in claim 2 wherein said first rotor has a fluid port therein connecting said toroidal chamber with said first tubular member and said second rotor has an exhaust port therein connecting said toroidal chamber with an exhaust means.

Claim 21

The engine recited in claim 19 wherein said slots in said first tubular member and in said exhaust means are triangular in shape.

Claim 22

The combination recited in claim 19 wherein two said slots are formed in said tubular member, said slots being disposed at 180 degrees from each other on the outer periphery of said tubular member.

Claim 23

An engine comprising a casing, a shaft means supported on said casing, a rotor supported on said shaft means, a toroidal chamber in said rotor, a first hemicylindrical piston and a second hemicylindrical piston in said toroidal chamber, said pistons each having an axis of rotation disposed parallel to each other at all times, each said piston being adapted to move relative to the other in said toroidal chamber and adapted to move away from each other in said toroidal chamber as they rotate in a continuous path in said toroidal chamber, means on said rotor rotatably supporting said pistons maintaining said pistons in synchronism with each other, said pistons engaging surfaces of said toroidal chamber for providing closure means in said chamber to close said chamber with no angular space between said pistons at a first position and a second position providing a space between said pistons as said pistons move toward each other on one side of each said piston and a second chamber on a second side of said pistons on the side thereof moving away from each other, and means to introduce a fluid to said chamber on the side of said pistons moving away from each other and means to remove fluid from said chamber on the side of said pistons moving away from each other, whereby said pistons are forced around said chamber, and output means connected to said synchronizing means.

Claim 24

An engine comprising a casing, a shaft means supported on said casing, a rotor supported on said shaft means, a toroidal chamber in said rotor, a first hemicylindrical piston and a second hemicylindrical piston in said toroidal chamber, said pistons each having an axis of rotation disposed parallel to each other at all times, each said piston being adapted to move relative to the other in said toroidal chamber and adapted to move away from each other in said toroidal chamber as they rotate in a continuous path in said toroidal chamber, means on said rotor rotatably supporting said pistons maintaining said pistons in synchronism with each other, said pistons engaging surfaces of said toroidal chamber for providing closure means in said chamber to close said chamber with no angular space between said pistons at a first position and a second position providing a space between said pistons as said pistons move toward each other on one side of each said piston and a second chamber on a second side of said pistons on the side thereof moving away from each other, and means to introduce a fluid to said chamber on the side of said pistons moving away from each other and means to remove fluid from said chamber on the side of said pistons moving away from each other, whereby said pistons are forced around said chamber, and output means connected to said synchronizing means.