Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to engines for driving a pair of
flywheels and more particularly to an engine having a drive
shaft which is caused to reciprocate by a pair of piston
cylinders and which in turn imparts rotary motion to a pair of
flywheels.
Engines are known having one or more pairs of opposed
piston cylinders which cause a drive shaft to reciprocate.
Such engines usually include crank shafts, crank cases and
transmissions. Examples of such engines are described in the
following patents of the United States: no. 4,485,768 to
Heniges; no. 4,715,336 to Schindler et al; no. 3,195,420 to
Johanssen; no. 2,489,068 to Carlson; and no. 2,439,867 to
Schaeffer.
It has been found that engines having pairs of opposed
piston cylinders can be used to drive pairs of flywheels. Such
engines do not require crank shafts to do so. The flywheels
are particularly suitable for driving such things as twin
marine screws but are suitable for other uses where two
separate sources of driving power are required.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The engine of the invention imparts rotary motion to a
pair of flywheels and includes a pair of axially aligned
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opposed cylinders. A piston is mounted for reciprocation in
each cylinder. A drive shaft is connected to both pistons and
is caused to reciprocate by them. A connecting rod is rotat-
ably connected to each flywheel and is rotatably connected to
the drive shaft such that reciprocation of the drive shaft
causes a like reciprocation of the connecting rod with
resulting rotation of the flywheels.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The engine of the invention is described with reference
to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is an elevation of the engine;
Figure 2 is a schematic view of a first emboA;r?nt of the
engine;
Figure 3 is a schematic view of the flywheels and
connecting rod viewed from line 3-3 of Figure 2;
Figures 4 and 5 are side views in enlarged scale of the
left and right flywheel assemblies, respectively, illustrated
in Figure 3;
Figure 6 is a schematic view of a second embodiment of
the engine;
Figure 7 is a schematic view of the flywheels and
connecting rod viewed from line 7 - 7 of Figure 6; and
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Figure 8 is an enlarged elevation of one flywheel and the
bracket to which it is attached viewed from line 8 - 8 of
Figure 7.
Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout
the description of the drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
With reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3 the engine of the
invention, indicated generally 10, includes an internal
combustion engine of the type having a pair of horizontally
disposed cylinders 12, 14 both mounted within a housing 16.
The cylinders are disposed in axial alignment and are
positioned on opposite sides of a drive shaft 18. Since such
engines are well known and are described in a number of U.S.
patents including those referred to above, a detailed
description is deemed unnecessary.
The cylinders are provided with the usual supply of fuel
and means for discharge of exhaust gases. The combustible
mixture in the cylinders is ignited by spark plugs 20, 22 from
any conventional type of ignition system (not illustrated).
Mounted for reciprocation within the cylinders are
pistons 24, 26. The pistons are fixed to drive shaft 18 and
cause the shaft to reciprocate in the direction of arrow 28.
The shaft is rotatably attached at 29 to a connecting rod 30.
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With reference to Figures 2 and 3, pins 32, 34 extend
outwardly from rod 30 adjacent to each of its ends and those
pins are mounted for rotation to flywheels 36, 37. The
flywheels in turn are keyed to axles 38, 39 which are mounted
to bearings in vertical supports 40, 41.
With reference to Figure 6, 7 and 8 pins 45, 47 are fixed
to opposite ends of connecting rod 49. Pin 45 is mounted for
rotation to one end of link 51 and pin 47 is similarly mounted
to an end of link 52. An axle 55 is fixed to the end of link
51 opposite pin 45 and flywheel 57 is keyed for rotation to
that axle. Similarly an axle 59 is mounted to the opposite end
of link 52 and flywheel 60 is keyed for rotation to that axle.
Axles 55, 59 are mounted in bearings in supports 61, 63.
The engine illustrated in Figures 1 - 5 operates as
follows: The reciprocating pistons rods 24, 26 cause drive
shaft 18 to reciprocate and that reciprocation is imparted to
connecting rod 30. As the rod reciprocates, it causes the
flywheels 36, 37 to rotate in opposite directions as
illustrated in Figure 3.
The engine illustrated in Figures 6 - 8 operates in a
similar manner. Connecting rod 49 will cause links 51, 52 to
reciprocate and that reciprocation is translated into rotary
motion as the links cause the flywheels 57, 60 to rotate. As
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illustrated in Figure 7, pin 45 is located at a point on link
51 which is spaced equidistantly from axle 55 as the spacing
of pin 47 from axle 59. The point of pin 45 on flywheel 57 is
diametrically opposite that of pin 47 on flywheel 60.
It will be understood of course that modifications can be
made in the preferred embodiments illustrated and described
herein without departing from the scope and purview of the
invention as defined in the appended claims.
