Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
9~6
INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE
This invention relates to an internal~combustion
engine and, more particularly, to an improved four-cycle
internal combustion engine of the eccentric piston type.
Numerous designs of internal combustion engines
have been proposed, developed and employed over the years.
Since the early advent of the conventional reciprocating
piston engine, technology has been directed to ways to reduce
engine size, weight and cost in relation to power output, as ;~
well as to increase efficiency and reduce polluting emissions ~ -
of the internal combustion engine. One approach in the effort
to more efficiently convert combustion energy into rotational
motion of a drive shaft has been the development of the rotary
engine which in its basic arrangement, employs a rotor element
having plural peripheral fac~s and apices mounted for eccentric
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rotation within a housing, with the apices sweepingly engaging
; the inner surfaces of the~housing during rotor movement to
divide the same into respective variable~volume intake,
compression, combustion and expansion chambers.
The reciprocating piston engines of the prior art
have the inherent disadvantage of poor efficiency due to the
loss of power in translating reciprocating motion of the
pistons into rotary motion o~ the crankshaft because of
misdirection of power forces through connecting rods and
crank arms at other than an optimum 90 angle to the direction
of eccentricity of the crankshaft during its rotation.
Although the rotary type engines provide advantage over the
reciprocating piston engines in weight reduction and more
efficient generation of rotary motion to the crankshaft9
such rotary engines have had a continuous problem of wear
of the apices of the rotor and housing wall due to their
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continuous sliding contact to seal and separate the fluid
chambers oE the engine.
It is therefore an object of the present invention
to provide an internal combus-tion, four-cycle engine
construction which overcomes many of the disadvantages
found in internal combustion engines of the prior artO
More specifically, it is an object o~ the present
invention to provide an engine construction having more
efficient transfer of combustion power forces to crankshaft
rotation during each revolution of the crankshaft~ with
reduction of frictional wear on the relative moving surfaces
of the engineS thereby providing a more efficient engine
operation.
Broadly, -the present invention comprises a four-
cycle internal combustion engine including a housing defining
a compartment having at least one peripheral lobe, and an
inner body, or piston member, therein having a corresponding
number of peripheral lobes with intervening peripheral
recesses. The inner body is mounted for non-rotational,
orbital movement within the compartment with each inner
body lobe positioned for movement in its corresponding
compartment lobe in response to combustion forces within
the compartment.
The compartment housing, inner body, and a movable
wall member dispo.sed in each inner body recess cooperatlvely
define one or more groups (depending upon the nurnber of lobes
in the housing compartment) of variable-volume fluid intake
and compression, power, and exhaust chambers, and certain
of each group of chambers periodica]ly inter-communicate
during orbital movement of the inner body to carry out the
four-cycle operation. The inner body is eccentrically
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mounted with respect to the rotational axis of a power
output shaft to impart rotary mo-tion thereto, and the
peripheral wall portion of each inner bod~ lobe which forms
a portion of each power chamber is configured so as to
impart combustion forces at a substantially right angle
to the direction of eccentricity of the inner body during
the full fuel combustion and expansion cycle, thus providing
more efficient transfer of combustion forces in the power
chamber into rotational movement of the output shaft.
According to a broad aspect of the present invention~
there is provided an internal combustion engine compris:ing
a housing defining an internal compartment having at least
one peripheral lobe. ~n inner body is also provided having
at least one peripheral lobe thereon. Means is provided for
mounting the inner body in the said compartment for non-
rota-tional, orbital movement with said inner body lobe dis-
posed for movement within the housing lobe during at least
a portion of orbital movement. A recess is provided in
the inner body and a movable wall merrlber is disposed in the
recess. Means is provided for mounting the movable wall
member for movement in the recess. Portions of the movable
wall member, inner body, or housing cooperatively define a
fluid intake and compression chamber, a varlable-volume
power chamber, and a variable-volume fluid exhaust chamber
in the compar-tment during at least a portion of orbital
moverrlent of -the inner body. Intake port means and exhaust
port means is provided in the hous;ng and communicates with
the said compartment. Passageway means communicates the
intake and compression chamber with the intake ports, the
intake and compression chamber with the power cha~ber and
the exhaust chamber with the exhaust port means~ during at
least some portions of orbital movement in the inner body.
Also provided is a power output shaft, and means operatively
connecting the inner body with the power output shaft to
impart rotational movement thereto during orbital movement
of the inner body.
The above, as well as other objects of the present
invention will become more apparent, and the invention will
be better understood from the following detailed descri.ption
of preferred embodiments of the invention, when taken
together with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a schematic sectional end view of a
multilobe, internal combustion engine of the present invention,
taken generally along line I-I of Figure 2, and showing the
disposition and arrangement of the inner body piston member
and movable wall members therein,
Figure 2 is a sectional view of the internal
combustion engine of Figure 1, taken generally along line
II-II thereof and looking in the direction of the arrows,
Figure 3 is an enlarged partial sectional view of
the engine of Figure 1 taken generally along line III-III
thereof and looking in the direction of the arrows,
Figure 4 is an enlarged partial sectional view
of the engine of Figure 1 taken generally along l.ine IV-IV
thereof and looking in the direc-tion of the arrows'
Figure 5 is an enlarged par-tial sectional view of the
engine of Figure 1 taken generally along line V-V thereof and
looking in the direction of the arrows,
Figure 6 is a schematic sectional end view of a
single housing compartment lobe embodiment of the internal
combustion engine of the present invention showing the
disposition of the inner body and movable wall member in the
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housing compartment, and
Figure 7 is a schematic represen-tation of the
manner in which component parts o~ the engine may be machined
from metal stock material.
Referring more specifically to the drawings,
Figures 1-5 illustrate one embodiment and form of the present
invention wherein the internal combustion engine comprises
three arcuately spaced groups of intake and compression,
power and exhaust chambers, each of which groups cooperate
to impart rotary motion to a power output shaft through non-
rotational 9 orbital movement of an inner body piston member
eccentrically moun,ted thereon. As best shown in Figures 1
and 2, the engine comprises a generally cylindrical housing
10 having an outer peripheral wall 11 and generally parallel
end walls 12, 14 spaced by peripheral wall 11 along the
longitudinal axis thereof to define an internal compartment
in the housing. The inner surface of peripheral wall 11
defines three outer lobes 16, 18, 20 of the compartment
which are equally spaced about its periphery.
Located within the compartment is an inner body,,
or piston member 21 having a peripheral wall surface 22
and spaced parallel end wall surfaces 24, 26 which sealingly
engage respective ad~acent end walls 12, 14 of the housing
compartment. Inner body 21 also has a plurality of spaced
peripheral lobes 28, 30 , 32 corresponding in number to the
compartment lobes, and the inner body is mounted for
clockwise, non-rotational, orbital movement within the
housing compartment on the eccentric portion 34 of a main
crankshaft 36. Crankshaft 36 is supportably mounted by
bearings in housing end walls 12, 14 for clockwise rotation
about an axis parallel to and coincident with the longitudinal
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axis of the housing compartment, and an output shaft portion
38 (Figure 2) of the crankshaft extends through an opening
in the end wall 14 of the housing. As seen in Figure 1,
inner body 21 is disposed in the compartment so that each
of its peripheral lobes 28, 30, 32 is positioned for movement
into a corresponding one of the compartment lobes 16, 18, 20
during non-rotational, orbital movement of inner body 21.
Inner body 21 is mounted on the eccentric portion
34 of crankshaft 36 by roller bearings 39 so that the
eccentric portion is free to rotate within the opening
through the inner body 21 during rotation of the crankshaft.
The central axis of eccentric portion 34 is displaced from
the rotational axis of the output shaft by a distance D, and
the direction o~ eccentric displacement is hereinafter referred
to as the crank angle.
Inner body 21 also is provided with peripheral
recesses 40, 42~ 44 each of which is located between an
adjacent pair of inner body lobes and extends generally
between adjacent pairs of compartment lobes. Disposed for
movement within each inner body recess is a movable wall
member 46, opposite surfaces of each of which has a central
elongate groove 52. Each movable wall member 46 is mounted
on housing end walls 12, 14 by spline elements 54 which are
received in grooves 52 so that each member 46 moves radially
inward and outward of its inner body recess in response to
orbital movement of the inner body to define, with the inner
body and housing, an inner variable-volume fluid intake and
compression chamber 56 in each recess (two of which can be
seen in an expanded condition in the position of the inner
body shown in Figure 1). The splines 54 and ~rooves 52 of
each movable wall member also provide for alternative,
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endwise sliding movement of each wall member toward and away
from the ends of its adjacent compar-tment lobes in response
to orbital movement of the inner body, for a purpose to be
explained. The movable wall members 46 mounted on housing 10
sealingly engage side walls of each inner body peripheral
recess to prevent rotational movement of the inner body
during its orbital movement within the housing compartment,
as well as form the intake and exhaust chamber in each
recess.
To further ensure non-rotational movement of the
inner body during its orbital movement in the housing
compartment, anti-rotation means may be provided in end
walls 24, 26 of the inner body 21 and the adjacent housing
end walls 12, 14. As seen in Figures 1 and 2, the anti-
rotation means comprise three spaced, circular grooves 64
in each end wall 24, 26 of the inner body. Received in
each groove 64 for movement therealong is a pin 66 which is
attached to and extends from respective adjacent housing end
walls 12, 14. During orbital movement of the inner body 21
in the housing compartment, the housing end wall pins 66
move in their respective inner body grooves 64 to prevent
any rotational movement of the inner body in the compartment,
thus further ensuring positive sealing engagement of
peripheral wall portions of each inner body lobe with
peripheral wall portions of its corresponding compartment
lobe, as will be explained.
As best seen in E'igure 1, the peripheral wall of
each inner body lobe cooperates with the peripheral and end
walls of the housing, and with wall portions of each movable
wall member to form an outer, variable-volume chamber in
each compartment lobe 16~ 18, 20. Each outer chamber is
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periodically subdivided into a power charnber 70 and an
exhaust chamber 72 during a portion of the orbital movement
of the inner body in the following manner. During clockwise,
orbital movement of inner body 21 about -the rotational axis
of crankshaft 36, every point on inner body 21 describes
a circular path having a radius equal to the distance D,
(Figure 1) between the rotational axis of shaft 36 and the
central axis o~ eccentric portion 34 on which the inner
body is mounted. It can thus be appreciated that durin~
every complete orbit of the inner body and 360 oE rotation
of the output shaft, each inner body lobe moves in a circular
path, having a radius of D, into and out of its corresponding
compartment lobe. During this movement into the compartment
lobe, successive points along the periphery of each inner
body lobe in the direction of orbital movement of the inner
body progressively engage successive points along the
peripheral wall of its compartment lobe to form a positive
seal, subdividing the compartment lobe outer chamber into
power chamber 70 and exhaust chamber 72. Each of the power
and exhaust chambers so formed continuously vary in volume
during orbital movement of the inner body. In the position
of the inner body shown in Figure 1, it can be seen that
outer compartment lobes 16 and 20 are each momentarily
subdivided :into a power chamber 70 and an exhaust chamber
72~ while outer compartrnent lobe 18 is rnomentarily a EulLy
expanded power chamber 70, as will be explained.
Housing 10 is provided with intake port means
cornprising three pairs of Eluid intake ports 74, 76, 78, with
each pair being located in opposed, aligned relation in end
walls 12, 14 of the housing. Each pair of intake ports
communicate with the housing compartment at a position
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adjacenl: a respective compartment lobe and one end of a
peripheral recess in the inner body. The housing compartment
is further provided with exhaust port means comprising
three fluid exhaust ports 80 (Figures 1 and 5) in the
peripheral wall of the housing, one being located between
each adjacent pair of compartment lobes.
Passageway means are provided for cornmunicating
each fluid intake and compression chamber 56 with a pair
of intake ports during a portion of orbital movement of the
inner body, and thereafter with the next adjacent power
chamber thereto in the direction of orbital movement of the
inner body. As seen in Figures 1, 3 and ~, extending ~rom
the right end of each inner body recess 40, 42, 44 in the
surface of each inner body end wall 24, 26 is a generally
elongate groove 86, each pair of which communicate with the
respective inner body recess and the intake and compression
chamber formed therein.
As seen in Figures 1 and ~, the inner surface of
each housing end wall 12, 14 is also provided with a yroove
~38 adjacent and extending into the left hand end of each
compartment lobe 16, 18, 20 each opposed pair of w~ich are
periodically engaged by an adjacent pair of elonyate grooves
86 in the inner body to provide communication between the
compres.sion chamber in each inner body recess with its nex~
adjacent power chamber 70 in the direction of orbital movement
of the inner body. Thus during orbit of the inner body in the
housing compartment, each pair of elongate grooves 86
communicating with an inner body recess move in a clockwise
circular path to first overlie an adjacent pair of inlet ports
to intake fluid as the inner body recess chamber is expanding
(note charnber 56 in recess 44 of Fig. 1). Therea-fter, each
pair of grooves 86 move in its circular path to overlie a
respective pair of housing end wall grooves 88 in the
adjacent compartrnent lobe power charnber 70 to pass
compressed fluid into the power chamber as the movable wall
member 46 moves inwardly in the recess to compress the fluid
in the chamber formed therein.
As best seen in Figures 1 and 57 the outer face
of each movable wall member 46 is provided with an elongate
groove 90 located adjacent the right hand end of each
compartment lobe 16, 18, 20. Upon complete expansion of
each power charnber in each compartment lobe (as indicated
by chamber 70 in compartment lobe 18, Fig. 1), and in
response to continued orbital movement of the inner body,
each movable wall member 46 will slide endwise on spline
elements 5~ so that its groove 90 overlies the compartment
lobe to form and communicate an exhaust charnber 72 in the
lobe with the exhaust port 80 located adjacent thereto~
(Note exhaust chambers 72 in compartment lobes 16 and 20).
In this manner 9 expanded gases of combustion are discharged
from the exhaust chamber 72 and from the engine housing.
Fuel Eor combustion in each of the three power
chambers of the engine may be supplied by conventional
gas car'buretion wit'h the inta~e air supplied to each of the
intake chambers -throu~h in-take ports 7~, 76, 78.
Alternatively, fuel may be lnjec-ted directly into the
compressed air in the power chamber at the beginning of
the power cycle. As illustrated in Figure 4, cornmunicating
with the left end portion of each of the compartrnent lobes
16, 18, 20 through a side wall of the compartrnent housing is
a fuel injection port 92 for introducing fuel into the power
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chamber formed in each compartment lobe.
Also communicating with the left end of each
compartment lobe and power chamber are suitable means for
igniting the fuel in the power chamber in each lobe. If the
engine of the present invention i5 to be employed as a
gasoline combustion engine, a spark plug 94 may be provided
to communicate with the power chamber, as shown in Figure 4.
If the engine of the present invention is to be employed
as a diesel engine, suitable means, such as a glow plug may
be provided,for initial combustion of the diesel fuel 1njected
into the power compartment. Conventional timing means, not
shown, may be employed to sequence fuel injection and spark -
ignition in each power chamber 70.
The present inventlon may be better understood
by a brief explanation of the operation of the three lobe
embodiment of internal combustion engine shown in Figures 1-5.
Referring to Figure 1, it can be seen that the housing
compartment lobes 16, 18 and 20 are equally arcuately spaced
about the central axis~of the housing compartment at 120
intervals, and the inner body lobes 28, 30, 32 are similarly
spaced at 120 intervals about the central axis of the lnner
body. During clockwlse rotation of the crankshaft, inner
body 21 moves in a clockwise orbital path, with every point
on the inner body describing a circular path having a radius
equal to the distance of eccentricity D, of the inner body
axis from the axis of rotation of the crankshaft. Thus,
during each 360 rotation of the crankshaft and full~orhit
of the inner body, each lobe of the inner body moves in a
circular path into and out of its corresponding compartment
lobe, with consecutive wall portions along the periphery of
the inner body lobe sequentially engaging consecutive
peripheral wall portions of the compartment lobe to divide
the same into a power chamber and an exhaust chamber.
At the same time, the movable wall element ~6 in
each inner body recess moves inwardly and outwardly thereof
once during each 360 revolution of the crankshaft to fully
expand and collapse the intake and compression chamber 56
formed therein. During expansion, chamber 56 communicates
with the inlet ports. Thereafter, chamber 56 cornmunicates
with the next adjacent power chamber 70 to pass compressed
fluid thereinto during the latter portion of the compression
stroke, i.e., as the movable wall member 46 moves radially
inward in the inner body recess.
In the position of inner body 21 shown in Figure 1,
it can be seen that the intake and compression chamber in~
recess 40 is fully collapsed after the compression cycle,
compressed fluid therefrom has been passed into the adjacent
power chamber 70 in compartment lobe 16, and grooves 86 have
just passed out of communication wlth grooves 88 so that
power chamber 70 containing compressed fluid is sealed for
initiation of combustion. Immediately upon combustion~ it
can be seen that the combustion force in power chamber 70
acts on a peripheral wall surface 70a of inner body lobe 28
which is substantially parallel to -the crank angle of the
crankshaEt. Thus, the combustion and expansion Eorce is
applied to the inner body 21 and crankshaft 36 at a right
angle to the crank angle to provide optimum transEer of
force to impart rotation to the output shaft of the engine.
As the inner body lobe 28 moves further clockwise
in compartment lobe 16, the power chamber 70 will
progressively expand during combustion to a position as is
illustrated by power chamber 70 in compartment lobe 20.
11199~6
In this position of the pow~r cycle, it can be seen that
the peripheral wall surface of the inner body lobe on
which the force of combustion is appiied still lies
substantially parallel to the crank angle of the crankshaft,
thus continuing a right angle application of force thereto
throughout the major portion of the power cycle of each
power chamber.
Fuel combustion in each power chamber in each
compartment lobe of the engine causes the power chamber to
expand to its maximum dimensions through 240 of rotation
of the crankshaft. The position of the inner body lobe
with respect to the housing lobe when the power chamber is
fully expanded is illustrated by the compartment lobe 13
and the adjacent inner body lobe 30. Continued clockwise
movement of the inner body lobe from fully e~panded power
cycle position causes movable wall member 46 to slide
sideways over the end portion of the compartment lobe to
communicate the chamber therein with exhaust port 80 by
way of groove 90, thus forming an exhaust chamber 72 which
: 20 progressively collapses to expel fluid from the housing.
Although not shown, it is to be understood that suitable:
passages may be provided in the housing and inner body for
circulation of a fluid cooling medium for the engine.
Although the lnvention shown in Figures 1-5
illustrates a three-lobe engine with three power cycles
being initiated during each crankshaft xevolutlon, it is
to be understood that the engine of the present invention
may comprise any number of compartment and inner body lobes
with corresponding power cycles per crankshaft revolution,
depending upon the size, weight, and power requirements of
the engine. Figure 6 illustrates schematically a one lobe
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engine embodiment of the invention wherein a single lobe
inner body 200 is eccentrically disposed for non-rotational,
orbital movement on a crankshaft 202 in a housing 20~ having
a single peripheral compartment lobe. Disposed between
opposite ends of the inner body lobe 2Q6 and the housing lobe
is a movable wall member 208 which i5 mounted on the housing
by spline element 210 for radial movement into and out of
inner body peripheral recess 212 and for alternating endwise
movement to overlie end portions of the housing compartment
lobe in response to orbital movement of the inner body, in
the same maImer as a movable wall member of Figures 1-5
Thus, during orbital movement of inner body 200, peripheral
wall portions of the inner body sequentially engage peripheral
wall portions of the housing compartment to form a variable
volume power chamber 214 and exhaust chamber 216 therein.
Also, during inner body movement, the variable volume intake
and compression chamber formed in inner body recess 212
alternately communicates by way of passageway grooves 218
with intake ports 220 (Dnly one of each shown~, and then
with power chamber 214 through grooves 222 (only one shown)
to intake fluid and to pass compressed fluid to the power
chamber, as in the three-lobe embodiment of Figures 1-5~
As can be seen, the movable wall member 208 is
provided with an outer wall groove 223 to permit communication
of ex~aust chamber 216 with exhaust port 224 in the housing
wall to discharge expanded gases o~ combustion therefrom
during the four-cycle operation of the engine. In the one
lobe embo~iment of in Figure 6, it can be seen that
combustion and expansion of the gases in power chamber 214
occurs through approximately 360 of cranksha~t rotation.
Anti-rotation devices 226 of the type shown in the embodiment
if Figures 1-5 may be utilized to ensure non-rotational
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movement of the inner body during its orbital movement in
housing 204. Although not shown, fuel injection means and
suitable spark initiation means may be employed in the end
portion of power chamber 214 to introduce fuel into the
chamber and ignite same during the combustion and power
stroke of the engine.
As can be appreciated, the curvature of the
peripheral wall of each inner body lobe and its corresponding
compartment lobe are so shaped as to ensure sealing engagement
of the peripheral inner body lobe wall with the peripheral
compartment lobe wall during orbital movement of the inner
body. In practice, this may be accomplished by machining
an inner body and peripheral housing wall from a single
metal cylinder, or block of material. As illustrated by a
two lobe engine embodiment in Figure 7, the peripheral wall
of a compartment housing and an inner body may be formed
simultaneously by cutting a sinuous pathway 300 about a
comrnon axis A through the stock material7 the width W of
the pathway 300 being equal to the desired distance of
eccentricity at which the inner body is to be mounted on a
crankshaft from its axis of rotation. The radius of
curvature of the end portions 302 of the compartment lobes
are correspondingly cut about a radius equal to the distance
of eccentricity plus the radius of curvature of the tip
portion 304 of the inner body lobes. In this manner, sealing
engagement of the inner body lobes with the compartment
peripheral wall is ensured during orbital movement of the
inner body in the housing. The depth of each inner body
peripheral recess 306 must be twice the distance of
eccentricity, or slightly greater.
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Although the engine of the present invention has
been shown and described as having a single housing compartment
with inner body therein, it can be appreciated that the engine
may be composed of multiple compartments with inner bodies
positioned along the length of a crankshaft in similar
fashion as the pistons of a conventional reciprocating piston
engine. If the engine is to be composed of a plurality of
compartments and inner bodies eccentrically mounted on the
crankshaft, it will be understood that the intake and e~haust
port means of each compartment would be suitably channeled
to the exterior of the housing through the end walls to the
peripheral wall thereof.
Although the embodiments of the invention shown and
described in the drawings and specification employ plural
pairs of passageways and intake ports for introducing fluid
into each intake chamber and passing fluid from the intake
chamber to the power chamber after compression, only one
intake port and set of cooperating passageways may be
utilized, if desired. The exact construction and arrangement
of the passageways may be varied depending upon the number
of inner body piston means and housing compartments utilized
on a single crankshaft for the engine power output required.
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