초록 ▼

An engine and method in accordance with this invention includes a plurality of parallel cylinders equally spaced from a longitudinally extending engine axis with a pair of opposed pistons in each cylinder for controlled reciprocation therein. Respective rotatably mounted axial-faced cams and followe

An engine and method in accordance with this invention includes a plurality of parallel cylinders equally spaced from a longitudinally extending engine axis with a pair of opposed pistons in each cylinder for controlled reciprocation therein. Respective rotatably mounted axial-faced cams and followers control the motion of the pistons through the operating cycle to permit at least one power stroke from each cylinder during each rotation of the engine. A controllable divider valve located between the opposed faces of the pistons defines, on one side, a first air/fuel receiving compression chamber and, on the other side, a second relatively high-pressure ignition air receiving chamber. Before the cam-controlled compression stroke, the divider valve is closed so that the air/fuel mixture on the one side of the closed valve is compressed to a first pressure and the ignition air on the other side of the valve is compressed to a relatively higher pressure causing the temperature of this more highly compressed air to increase to a temperature above the ignition temperature of the compressed air/fuel mixture. Ignition begins by opening the divider valve to permit the high-pressure, high-temperature ignition air in the second chamber to enter the compressed air/fuel mixture in the first chamber, causing burning thereof. The burning air/fuel mixture then enters the second chamber on the other side of the still-open valve to heat a relatively large mass of air causing both pistons to retract during the power stroke.

대표청구항 ▼

A method for extracting work from a fuel comprising the steps of: forming a homogeneous mixture of a combustion supporting gas and a fuel; compressing the homogeneous mixture of a combustion supporting gas and a fuel to a predetermined pressure less than that which would effect ignition; compressing

A method for extracting work from a fuel comprising the steps of: forming a homogeneous mixture of a combustion supporting gas and a fuel; compressing the homogeneous mixture of a combustion supporting gas and a fuel to a predetermined pressure less than that which would effect ignition; compressing a quantity of combustion supporting gas to a predetermined pressure sufficient to cause the temperature of the so-compressed compression supporting gas to increase to a temperature greater than that of the ignition temperature of said so-compressed homogeneous mixture of a combustion supporting gas and a fuel; introducing the so-compressed combustion supporting gas into the so-compressed mixture of a combustion supporting gas and fuel to cause ignition thereof and the formation of combustion products; introducing the combustion products of the so-ignited mixture of the combustion supporting gas and fuel into the compressed combustion supporting gas to cause the addition of heat thereto; and extracting work from the combustion products of said so-ignited mixture and the additionally heated combustion supporting gas.