Claims
- 1. A method of deriving mechanical work from combustion gas in an internal combustion engine having at least two two-stroke power chambers in which combustion gases are ignited and expanded, and a piston operable in each chamber, and a compressor in which an air charge is compressed, comprising the steps of compressing an air charge in a compressor, transferring the compressed air charge to each power cylinder at such time as the piston in the power cylinder is near top dead center with the total combustion volume of the power cylinder being no greater than the volume of the charge transferred from the compressor at the time of transfer such that there is no appreciable pressure drop during transfer, causing a predetermined quantity of fuel to be mixed with the air charge to produce a combustible mixture with combustion beginning before or at top dead center, causing the mixture to be ignited at substantially maximum pressure within each power chamber and expanding the combustion gas against the piston substantially beyond its initial volume, with combustion in each power cylinder occurring on alternate strokes of the pistons with scavenging by the piston occurring on alternate strokes by positive displacement of the burned gases.
- 2. A method of deriving mechanical work from combustion gas in an internal combustion engine having a two stroke power chamber in which the combustion gas is ignited and expanded, a compressor chamber in which an air charge is compressed and a piston operable in each chamber, comprising the steps of compressing an air charge in the compressor chamber, transferring the compressed air charge to the 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 there is no appreciable pressure drop during transfer, causing a predetermined quantity of fuel to be mixed with the air charge to produce a combustible mixture, causing the mixture to be ignited at substantially maximum pressure within the power chamber and expanding the combustion gas against the piston substantially beyond its initial volume.
- 3. 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.
- 4. 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.
- 5. 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.
- 6. 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.
- 7. 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.
- 8. 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.
- 9. 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.
- 10. 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.
- 11. 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.
- 12. 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.
- 13. 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.
- 14. An engine according to claim 10 in which each power cylinder is timed to fire after top dead center position of its piston.
- 15. 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.
- 16. 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.
- 17. 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.
- 18. 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.
- 19. 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.
- 20. 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.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 327,922 filed Dec. 8, 1981, now abandoned which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 230,752 filed Feb. 2, 1981, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (10)
Continuation in Parts (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
327922 |
Dec 1981 |
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Parent |
230752 |
Feb 1981 |
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