Claims
- 1. An engine utilizing a heated vapor, comprising:
- (a) an engine housing forming at least one pair of cylinders;
- (b) a piston mounted for reciprocating motion on the axis of each of said cylinders;
- (c) a rotatably mounted power output shaft positioned between said pistons, the axis of rotation of said shaft extending substantially perpendicular to said axes of reciprocation of said pistons;
- (d) a roller assembly connecting said pistons with said shaft, said assembly including two rollers which roll across said pistons as said shaft rotates and said pistons reciprocate, said rollers being on opposite sides of said axis of said output shaft, whereby each of said pistons moves through a complete cycle of reciprocation for each roller in each rotation of said shaft;
- (e) said cylinders and said pistons forming expansion chambers therebetween, and said housing having vapor inlet and outlet ports therein leading to and from said chambers, and vapor under pressure passing through said inlet ports to said expansion chambers exerting forces on said pistons for turning said shaft.
- 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said cylinders is formed by a cylindrical wall forming a cylinder opening and a cylinder head fastened in said opening and having a portion thereof separated from said wall by an annular space, the associated piston having a cylindrical skirt that extends into said annular space, and each of said pistons further including a dome that engages said roller assembly.
- 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the dome of each piston and said roller assembly have mating curved surfaces.
- 4. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each of said heads has a vapor inlet passage therein leading to said expansion chamber, and further including a valve on each of said heads for controlling the flow of vapor into said chamber.
- 5. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each of said pistons is rotatable in the associated annular space during said reciprocating movement.
- 6. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each of said cylinder heads is fastened in the associated cylinder opening by a snap ring removably connected to said wall.
- 7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said engine housing encloses said roller assembly and forms a roller assembly enclosure, air inlet and air outlet ports formed in said housing and leading to and from said assembly enclosure, and check valves in said ports, said reciprocating motions of said pistons serving to pump air through said enclosure.
- 8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said shaft and said roller assembly are rotatably mounted on said housing, and further including removable snap rings for holding said assembly in said housing.
- 9. Apparatus according to claim 7, and further including a boiler connected to said air outlet port and receiving air therefrom, said boiler including a combustion chamber and said air being fed to said combustion chamber.
- 10. Apparatus according to claim 9, and further including a condenser connected to said air inlet port, said pumped air flowing through said condenser before flowing to said boiler.
- 11. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a piston return chamber is formed between each cylindrical wall and the associated piston skirt, and further including means connected to each return chamber and adapted to charge said return chamber with a pressurized fluid to thereby move the piston away from said roller assembly.
- 12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said pressurized fluid comprises said heated vapor.
- 13. Apparatus according to claim 1, and further including means adapted to urge said pistons to return positions away from said roller assembly and simultaneously to prevent said heated vapor from moving said pistons toward said roller assembly.
- 14. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein each of said valves includes electromagnetic means for operating said valves.
- 15. Apparatus according to claim 4 and further including hydraulic pressure means connected to said valves for operating said valves.
- 16. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said condenser includes a burner for preheating the air.
- 17. An engine comprising at least one piston including a cylindrical skirt and a dome across one end of said skirt, cylinder means mounting said piston for reciprocating motion on a centerline, a power output shaft mounted for rotating motion on an axis, said centerline and said axis being substantially perpendicular, and a roller assembly attached to said shaft, said assembly including at least one roller that engages and rolls across said dome, support link means connecting said roller with said shaft and said roller being rotatably mounted on said support link means, the axis of said roller being to one side of and parallel to said shaft.
- 18. Apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said dome and said roller have mating curved surfaces.
- 19. Apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said piston is mounted for rotative movement on said centerline.
- 20. An external combustion engine system comprising:
- (a) an engine housing forming at least one pair of cylinders;
- (b) a piston mounted for reciprocating motion in each of said cylinders;
- (c) vapor inlet and outlet ports leading to said cylinders and valves in said ports for controlling the flow of a pressurized vapor to cause said piston to reciprocate;
- (d) said housing forming a chamber and air inlet and outlet ports, the reciprocating motion of said piston varying the volume of said chamber and thereby pumping air through said air inlet and outlet ports and said chamber;
- (e) a boiler for heating a pressurized vapor and connected to said vapor inlet ports, said boiler further being connected to said air outlet port; and
- (f) a condenser for cooling the pressurized vapor and connected to said vapor outlet ports, said condenser further being connected to said air inlet port.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 455,745 of Albert J. Molignoni, filed on Jan. 5, 1983, now abandoned, and titled External Combustion Engine.
US Referenced Citations (7)
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
455745 |
Jan 1983 |
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