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A high efficiency combined cycle internal combustion and steam engine includes a cylinder with a combustion chamber outward of a piston, a cylinder cap slideably mounted within the piston and a steam expansion chamber inside the piston. The cap can be heated to reduce condensation of steam. Steam re

A high efficiency combined cycle internal combustion and steam engine includes a cylinder with a combustion chamber outward of a piston, a cylinder cap slideably mounted within the piston and a steam expansion chamber inside the piston. The cap can be heated to reduce condensation of steam. Steam remaining when a steam exhaust valve closes can be recompressed prior to admitting the next charge of steam. One valve or a pair of steam inlet valves connected in series act in cooperation to help maximize efficiency. The amount of steam admitted each stroke is regulated by shifting the phase of one steam admission valve of a pair to vary their overlap for determining the steam mass admitted each cycle. Other valves balance steam displacement with the steam generator output to use steam more efficiently.

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1. A combined cycle engine comprising at least one cylinder having a combustion piston slideably mounted therein between a combustion chamber and a steam expansion chamber wherein the combustion chamber is outward of the piston and the steam expansion chamber is located inside the piston between the

1. A combined cycle engine comprising at least one cylinder having a combustion piston slideably mounted therein between a combustion chamber and a steam expansion chamber wherein the combustion chamber is outward of the piston and the steam expansion chamber is located inside the piston between the piston and a fixed cylinder cap that is slideably and sealingly mounted inside the piston,a steam supply heated by waste combustion heat is connected to power the engine by supplying steam to the steam expansion chamber through a pair of separate and independently movable inwardly retractable steam inlet valves located inside the piston and connected in communication with one another and with the steam expansion chamber through the cylinder cap,a valve retractor connected to open each of the steam inlet valves proximally, anda steam exhaust valve that opens to communicate with the steam expansion chamber for exhausting steam from the steam expansion chamber when the piston is in an expanded state and is closed during at least a portion of a power stroke thereof. 2. The combined cycle engine of claim 1 wherein the exhaust valve is an automatic valve comprising an exhaust opening in the piston skirt that enables steam to be exhausted through the piston when at the top center position and the exhaust opening is located in alignment with an exhaust port through the cylinder wall outward of the cylinder cap. 3. The combined cycle engine of claim 1 wherein the steam inlet valves comprise a pair of separate and independently movable inwardly retractable valves connected to communicate in series for opening when moved proximally and a phase control for regulating the overlap thereof. 4. The combined cycle engine of claim 3 wherein the steam inlet valves comprise a pair of inwardly retractable poppet valves that are concentric to one another wherein one of the valves has a central longitudinal bore and the other valve is slideably mounted therein and the phase control is a valve control connected to time the operation of at least one of the poppet valves. 5. A combination internal combustion steam engine comprising, at least one cylinder with a piston that is operatively connected to a crankshaft and is mounted for reciprocation in the cylinder between an outer combustion chamber and inner steam expansion chamber enclosed within the piston,a fixed cylinder cap sealingly and slideably mounted within the piston and having at least one inwardly opening steam admission valve therein which closes outwardly to cut off the flow of steam at a selected fraction of a power stroke of the engine,a steam exhaust valve communicating with the steam expansion chamber,a connecting rod that is centered substantially at the axis of a cylinder within a space located inwardly of the cylinder cap to provide the operative connection between the piston and the crankshaft, anda combustion chamber cooling circuit that is integrated in series with a circuit connected to supply steam for powering the engine including an outlet duct connected to transfer heated combustion chamber coolant from a combustion chamber cooling jacket to absorb additional heat in an internal combustion exhaust fired steam generator having a steam outlet connected to supply steam to the steam expansion chamber through each such steam admission valve,wherein said steam expansion chamber has an exhaust outlet connected to a steam condenser that has a condensate outlet connected to recycle a steam condensate back to the combustion chamber cooling jacket in a closed circuit. 6. The combination internal combustion steam engine of claim 5 wherein the cooling jacket has a steam outlet and a steam outlet duct is connected to the steam outlet of the cooling jacket for transferring steam produced by evaporative cooling within the cooling jacket of the engine to the steam generator for further heating the steam produced in the cooling jacket. 7. The combination internal combustion steam engine of claim 6wherein at least one pipe carries liquid combustion chamber coolant to the cooling jacket andwherein the combustion chamber coolant is sprayed from the at least one pipe into the cylinder to cool the cylinder. 8. The combination internal combustion steam engine of claim 5 wherein steam exhausted from the steam expansion chamber of the engine is connected in heat-exchange relationship with coolant passing from the cooling jacket to the steam generator to transfer heat from the exhausted steam to the coolant that is supplied from the cooling jacket to the steam generator. 9. The combination internal combustion steam engine of claim 5 wherein the condensate is transferred in heat-exchange relationship with steam exhausted from the engine before the condensate is transferred to the cooling jacket of the engine. 10. The combination internal combustion steam engine of claim 5 wherein said engine is mounted in a vehicle having wheels, the engine is connected to an electric generator to provide electric current to a member selected from a) a storage unit comprising a battery or a capacitor and b) an electric motor connected to drive the wheels of the vehicle. 11. The combination internal combustion steam engine of claim 5 wherein the engine is constructed and arranged with the piston slideably mounted over the cylinder cap to recompress residual steam after the steam exhaust valve has closed. 12. The combined cycle engine of claim 11 including an auxiliary clearance chamber within the engine that is connected to the steam expansion chamber. 13. The combination internal combustion engine of claim 5 having a steam exhaust valve in the cylinder sidewall for enabling steam to be exhausted through the cylinder sidewall when the steam expansion chamber is expanded and thereafter an inward movement of the piston recompresses residual steam therein. 14. The combination internal combustion engine of claim 5 wherein the at least one steam admission valve comprises a pair of separate and independently movable inwardly retractable valves communicating in series within the cylinder cap located within the piston and a control is connect to at least one steam admission valve for regulating the steam mass supplied to the steam chamber during outward strokes of the piston. 15. An engine having an operating cycle to provide energy transfer within at least one steam expansion chamber for imparting rotation to a crankshaft, said engine comprising, a crankcase supporting at least one cylinder and having a crankshaft journaled for rotation therein,a piston sealingly and slidably mounted in the cylinder,a fixed cylinder head defining a steam expansion chamber in the cylinder between the cylinder head and the piston,a connecting rod operatively associated between the piston and the crankshaft to rotate the crankshaft,a pair of separate and independently movable concentric poppet valves connected in series communication with each other and through the cylinder head with the steam expansion chamber,wherein the engine has a steam inlet passage communicating through the cylinder head,wherein the concentric series connected poppet valves have two fixed concentric valve seats as a part of the steam inlet passage that are each positioned for being opened and closed by one of the concentric poppet valves andwherein the poppet valves are concentric to one another with one poppet valve having a longitudinal bore and the other poppet valve being slidably mounted therein for injecting steam into the steam expansion chamber only when said concentric poppet valves are both in an open position off of said valve seats of said steam inlet passage. 16. The engine of claim 15 including a cam operatively connected to the crankshaft for actuating at least one of the concentric poppet valves. 17. The engine of claim 15 including a phase control for changing the phase of at least one of the concentric poppet valves to thereby regulate timing thereof. 18. The engine of claim 15 including at least a pair of movable actuator elements, each connected for opening or closing one of the concentric poppet valves at a selected time in a cycle of operation. 19. The combined cycle engine of claim 15 wherein at least one of said concentric poppet valves is a bump valve that is actuated by a bump force applied to a surface thereof by the piston. 20. A combined cycle engine comprising, at least one cylinder having a combustion piston slideably and sealingly mounted therein between a combustion chamber and a steam expansion chamber,the combustion chamber being outward of the piston and including a combustion intake valve and a combustion exhaust valve, the steam expansion chamber being located in the cylinder inward of the piston,at least one steam inlet valve enclosed by the piston and connected to be operated in timed relationship to piston movement for admitting steam from a steam supply produced by waste combustion heat into the steam expansion chamber through a fixed cylinder cap that has a peripheral circular portion which is sealingly and slideably mounted within the piston,said piston having a skirt that is slideable through an annular space between the cylinder and the cylinder cap,a steam admission port located in the cylinder cap in communication with the steam inlet valve,an exhaust valve having an exhaust port for discharging steam from the expansion chamber,at least one rod operatively connected between the piston and a crankshaft and being disposed for movement in a space between the cylinder cap and the crankshaft,wherein said steam inlet valve further comprises at least one valve element having a phase control associated therewith for timing the closing of the steam inlet valve as a fraction of a stroke of the piston and communicating with the steam expansion chamber through said steam admission port in the cylinder cap, andthe crankshaft is located inwardly of the piston on an opposite side of the cylinder cap from the expansion chamber. 21. The combined cycle engine of claim 20 wherein the at least one steam inlet valve comprises a pair of separate and independently moveable valves connected to communicate in series and being retractable sequentially for opening when both valves are moved proximally to admit steam into the steam expansion chamber through said admission port. 22. The combined cycle engine of claim 21 including variable valve timing of at least one of said two valves for changing the cutoff of steam to said steam expansion chamber as a fraction of a power stroke of said piston. 23. The combined cycle engine of claim 20 wherein the phase control is connected for varying the steam mass introduced into the steam expansion chamber during a steam power stroke of the piston. 24. The combined cycle engine of claim 20 wherein the engine is constructed and arranged for the piston to be slideably mounted over the cylinder cap to recompress residual steam remaining after steam is exhausted from the cylinder for providing pressurized steam in the steam expansion chamber. 25. The combined engine cycle of claim 24 including an auxiliary clearance volume communicating with the steam expansion chamber through a duct for controlling a flow of steam between the steam expansion chamber and the auxiliary clearance volume. 26. The combined cycle engine of claim 20 wherein the steam exhaust valve port opens through a sidewall of the cylinder at a location in the cylinder sidewall that is outward of the cylinder cap for exhausting steam when the piston is at a top center position. 27. The combined cycle engine of claim 20 wherein the steam supply is connected to transfer steam directly to the at least one steam inlet valve for maintaining steam from the steam supply substantially out of heat transfer relationship with parts of the cylinder cap other than the at least one inlet valve. 28. The combined cycle engine of claim 20 wherein controlled heating of the cylinder cap is provided by a heat-insulating substance located between the steam supply and the cylinder cap for reducing heat flux therethrough from the steam supply to the steam expansion chamber. 29. The combined cycle engine of claim 20 wherein at least one steam distribution channel extends from the steam supply to heat the cylinder cap. 30. The combined cycle engine of claim 20 including a combustion chamber cooling jacket that has a steam outlet and a steam outlet duct is connected to the steam outlet of the cooling jacket for transferring steam produced by evaporative cooling within the cooling jacket of the engine to the steam supply, said steam supply including a steam generator for heating the steam that was produced in the combustion chamber cooling jacket. 31. The combination internal combustion steam engine of claim 20 wherein a steam outlet of the steam generator is coupled to the cylinder cap so as to transfer heat flux to the cylinder cap for heating of the cylinder cap at a rate that is controlled to be less than that produced by jacketing the cylinder cap with the steam from the steam generator. 32. The combined cycle engine of claim 20 wherein a combustion chamber cooling circuit is in series with a steam supply circuit that is connected to power the engine, said series circuits comprising a single closed circuit including a passage connected to transfer combustion chamber coolant from a combustion chamber cooling jacket to an internal combustion exhaust powered steam generator that has a steam outlet connected to supply steam to the steam expansion chamber, andsaid expansion chamber having an exhaust outlet connected to a condenser that has a condensate outlet connected to recycle the coolant back to the cooling jacket. 33. The combined cycle engine of claim 20 wherein the engine has a cooling jacket with a steam outlet and a steam duct is connected to the steam outlet of the cooling jacket for transferring steam produced by evaporative cooling within the engine cooling jacket to a heater for heating steam from the cooling jacket with hot exhaust gasses from the combustion chamber. 34. The combined cycle engine of claim 33 wherein the cooling jacket includes at least one member selected from a) a sprayer connected for spraying the engine cylinder with a coolant liquid to thereby cause the liquid to flash into steam, and b) a source of vibration that is attached to the engine for imparting vibratory movement to the coolant contained in the combustion chamber cooling jacket. 35. The combined cycle engine of claim 20 wherein the engine is installed in a vehicle, the engine is connected to an electric generator to provide electric current to a member selected from an electrical storage unit and an electric motor connected to drive the wheels of the vehicle. 36. The combined cycle engine of claim 20 including an auxiliary clearance chamber in the engine that is connected to the steam expansion chamber. 37. The combined cycle engine of claim 20 having a steam exhaust valve in the cylinder sidewall for enabling steam to be exhausted through the cylinder sidewall when the steam expansion chamber is expanded and closes thereafter such that subsequent inward movement of the piston recompresses residual steam therein. 38. The combined cycle engine of claim 20 wherein the combined cycle engine is installed in a vehicle having wheels, a brake, and an energy storage unit, the energy storage unit is operatively connected to the wheels for transferring momentum energy from the wheels of the vehicle during a braking mode to the energy storage unit and wherein during a drive mode of the vehicle the energy stored in the energy storage unit is utilized for moving the vehicle. 39. The combined cycle engine of claim 38 wherein the energy storage unit is a storage battery or a capacitor and an electric generator is connected between the wheels and the energy storage unit at least during the braking mode. 40. The combined cycle engine of claim 20 including a control to establish the phase of the steam inlet valve utilizing one or more engine operating variables including a fuel consumption rate to time the cutoff of steam injected into the expansion chamber. 41. The combined cycle engine of claim 20 wherein an interior wall of the piston is covered by a sleeve formed from metal to provide a piston ring contact surface. 42. The combined cycle engine of claim 41 wherein the sleeve is spaced from a skirt of the piston in places. 43. The combined cycle engine of claim 20 wherein at least one of said valves is a bump valve that is actuated by a bump force applied to a surface thereof by the piston. 44. The combined cycle engine of claim 43 wherein said valve comprises said inlet valve and the bump force is applied to the inlet valve by a valve lifter that is attached to an inward surface of the piston. 45. The combined cycle engine of claim 20 wherein the steam supply includes an afterburner as a countercurrent steam superheater. 46. The combined cycle engine of claim 20 wherein the steam supply includes a superheater with a plurality of radial blades therein for guiding the flow of gas therethrough.