Internal combustion engine

Claim 5

A method according to claim 2 in which the fuel is mixed with the air charge to produce a combustible gas prior to admission into the compressor chamber.

Claim 6

A method according to claim 2 in which the fuel is mixed with the air charge to produce a combustible gas after leaving the compressor chamber but prior to admission into the power chamber.

Claim 7

A method according to claim 2 in which the fuel is mixed with the air charge to produce a combustible mixture within the power chamber.

Claim 8

A method according to claim 2 in which the power chamber is provided by a cylinder in which a piston is reciprocable, and wherein said combustible mixture is ignited during piston travel near top dead center of the cylinder.

Claim 9

A reciprocating internal combustion engine comprising a compressor chamber for compressing an air charge, a power chamber in which the combustion gas is ignited and expanded, a piston operable in each chamber and connected to a common crankshaft by connecting link means for rotating the crankshaft in response to reciprocation of each piston, a transfer duct communicating the compressor chamber with the power chamber through which duct the compressed charge is transferred to enter the power chamber, an intake valve controlling admission of air to said compressor chamber for compression, a transfer valve controlling admission of the compressed charge to said transfer duct, an intake valve controlling admission of the compressed air charge from the transfer duct to said power chamber, and an exhaust valve controlling discharge of the exhaust gases from the power chamber, said valves being timed to operate such that the air charge is maintained within the transfer duct and introduced into the power chamber without any appreciable drop in charge pressure so that ignition can commence at substantially maximum compression, means being provided for causing fuel to be mixed with the air charge to produce the combustible gas, and wherein said compressor chamber and the combustion chamber of said power chamber are sized with respect to the displaced volume of said power chamber with the total combustion chamber volume of the power chamber being no greater than the volume of the charge transferred from the compressor chamber at the time of transfer such that the exploded combustion gas can be expanded substantially beyond its initial volume when transferred to the power chamber.

Claim 10

A reciprocating internal combustion engine comprising a compressor chamber for compressing an air charge, a power chamber in which the combustion gas is ignited and expanded, a piston operable in each chamber and connected to a common crankshaft by connecting link means for rotating the crankshaft in response to reciprocation of each piston, a transfer duct communicating the compressor chamber with the power chamber through which duct the compressed charge is transferred to enter the power chamber, an intake valve controlling admission of air to said compressor chamber for compression, a transfer valve controlling admission of the compressed charge to said transfer duct, an intake valve controlling admission of the compressed air charge from the transfer duct to said power chamber, and an exhaust valve controlling discharge of the exhaust gases from the power chamber, said valves being timed to operate such that the air charge is maintained within the transfer duct and introduced into the power chamber without any appreciable drop in charge pressure so that ignition can commence at substantially maximum compression, means being provided for causing fuel to be mixed with the air charge to produce the combustible gas, and wherein said compressor chamber and the combustion chamber of said power chamber are sized with respect to the displaced volume of said power chamber with the total combustion chamber volume of the power chamber being no greater than the volume of the charge transferred from the compressor chamber at the time of transfer such that the exploded combustion gas can be expanded substantially beyond its initial volume when transferred to the power chamber.

Claim 11

An engine according to claim 7 in which the power chamber and the compressor chamber are provided by the two separate cylinders with a piston reciprocable in each cylinder and wherein the volume of said compressor cylinder is less than that of said power cylinder.

Claim 12

An engine according to claim 7 in which an air reservoir, a connector duct communicating the air reservoir with the transfer duct and means for controlling the flow of air between the air reservoir and transfer duct are provided, so that air can be supplied from the transfer duct to the air reservoir when desired and air can be supplied from the air reservoir to the transfer duct when needed for engine operation in order to increase the efficiency of the engine by conserving air compressed during periods when not needed for engine operation.

Claim 13

An engine according to claim 7 in which a plurality of power cylinders and at least one compressor cylinder are provided, said transfer duct comprising a common manifold for supplying a compressed air charge from each compressor cylinder to said power cylinders with the total combustion chamber volume of the power cylinders being no greater than the volume of the charge transferred from the compressor cylinder at the time of transfer, and wherein each power cylinder is timed to be charged and fired on alternate strokes of its piston and scavenged by positive displacement by the piston.

Claim 14

An engine according to claim 10 in which ports are provided intermediate the ends of each power cylinder to aid scavenging, said ports being uncovered by the piston at the completion of the power stroke towards its bottom dead center position.

Claim 15

An engine according to claim 10 in which the ports intermediate the ends of the power cylinders are provided with means for receiving compressed air to aid in the scavenging process.

Claim 16

An engine according to claim 10 in which each power cylinder is timed to fire before or at top dead center position of its piston.

Claim 17

An engine according to claim 10 in which each power cylinder is timed to fire after top dead center position of its piston.

Claim 18

An engine according to claim 10 in which valve means are provided for temporarily preventing admission of said charge to power cylinder after said charge has been admitted to the combustion chamber by the intake valve before top dead center so the power piston rises in its exhaust stroke and in which the exhaust valve can remain open past top dead center to facilitate exhaust scavenging.

Claim 19

An engine according to claim 10 in which each compressor cylinder has a double-acting piston the arrangement being such that an air charge is compressed during each stroke of the double-acting piston and admitted to said common manifold.

Claim 20

An engine according to claim 10 in which fuel metering means is provided for causing fuel to be mixed with said air charge to produce a combustible gas prior to admission in each compressor cylinder.

Claim 21

An engine according to claim 10 in which fuel metering means is provided for causing fuel to be mixed with said air charge to produce a combustible gas after leaving each compressor cylinder but prior to admission into each power cylinder.

Claim 22

An engine according to claim 10 in which fuel metering is provided for causing fuel to be mixed with said air charge to produce a combustible gas after admission to the combustion chamber.

Claim 23

An engine according to claim 10 in which means are provided for restricting admission of said air charge through the intake valves of each power cylinder in order to provide compression build-up in said common manifold during engine starting.