Spherical rotary valve assembly for an internal combustion engine

Claim 1

An improved rotary valve assembly for use in internal combustion engines of the piston and cylinder type, said spherical rotary valve assembly comprising: a removable two-piece cylinder head securable to the internal combustion engine, said two-piece removable cylinder head comprising an upper and lower cylinder head section, said upper and lower cylinder head sections when secured to said internal combustion engine define two cavites radially aligned with the cylinders of said internal combustion engine, said cavities defining a plurality of first drum accommodating cavities for receipt of radially aligned rotary intake valves, said second cavity defining a plurality of second drum accommodating cavities for receipt of a plurality of radially aligned rotary exhaust valves, said lower cylinder head section and said plurality of first drum accommodating cavities having an inlet port in communication with said cylinder, said lower cylinder head section and said second drum accommodating cavities having an outlet port in communication with said cylinder; a sealing means associated with said inlet and said outlet port; a first passageway for the introduction of a fuel/ air mixture into said cylinder head by way of said first drum accommodating cavity and said rotary intake valve and a second passageway for the evacuation of exhaust gases from said cylinder by way of said second drum accommodating cavity and said rotary exhaust valve; a first shaft means journaled on bearing surfaces within said first cavity radially aligned with said cylinders of said internal combustion engine, said first shaft means having mounted thereon, said rotary intake valves; a second shaft means journaled on bearing surfaces within said second radially aligned cavity, said second shaft means having positioned thereon, a plurality of said rotary exhaust valves; said rotary intake valve and said rotary exhaust valve each having a spherical section defined by two parallel planes of a sphere, said planes being disposed symmetrically about the center of said sphere, defining a spherical periphery and planer end walls, said rotary intake valves mounted on said first shaft means in said plurality of drum accommodating cavities in gas tight sealing contact with said inlet port, each of said rotary exhaust valves mounted on said second shaft means in said plurality of drum accommodating cavities in gas tight sealing contact with said inlet port and said outlet port, respectively, said rotary intake valve having a plurality of passageways therethrough for the introduction and interruption of fuel/air mixture to said engine and said rotary exhaust valve having a plurality of passageways therethrough for the evacuation and interruption of evacuation of said exhaust gases from said engine, wherein said shaft means and said rotary intake valve and rotary exhaust valve are rotated at a speed relative to said operating cycle of said engine relative to the number of passageways through said rotary intake valve and said rotary exhaust valves.