Two stroke engine with spring driven plunger

Abstract

This invention is a two stroke, internal combustion, reciprocating, engine with plunger 14 , made up of a number of similar working units. Each working unit is comprised of cylinder 16 that is closed at one end by cylinder head 4 , and contains air inlet valve 2 , power piston 22 that is connected to power output shaft 26 , and plunger 14 . Plunger 14 is a movable wall with barrel 10 attached to it. Plunger 14 moves between power piston 22 and cylinder head 4 , and the means to accomplish this are: spring 12 , the urging of power piston 22 after a collision, and the difference between the internal and external engine pressures. During the compression stroke the pressure inside the engine exceeds the pressure outside of the engine, this pressure difference on the exhaust area forces plunger 14 up against cylinder head 4 and deforms spring 12 . During the expansion stroke the pressure difference continues to keep plunger 14 up against cylinder head 4 and spring 12 deformed. This condition will continue until the pressure force from the pressure difference on the exhaust area falls below spring 12 force. Near the end of the expansion stroke power piston 22 reaches pressure reducing chamber port 32 . When power piston 22 reaches pressure reducing chamber port 32 the pressure is reduced because of the added volume of pressure reducing chamber 8 , and the pressure force falls below spring 12 force. Spring 12 opens exhaust valve 6 . Since exhaust valve 6 is connected to plunger 14 , spring 12 resuming its undeformed state moves plunger 14 towards power piston 22 . While plunger 14 moves toward power piston 22 plunger 14 sucks in the working fluid and pushes the exhaust gases out of cylinder 16 . After the meeting of power piston 22 and plunger 14 , pressure reducing chamber port 32 is recovered and compression begins. To provide regeneration an alternating flow heat exchanger, called regenerator 30 , along with protector 34 , protector valve 36 , and protector check valve 38 are attached to plunger 14 . Protector 34 protects regenerator 30 from heat of combustion and removes regenerator 30 volume from the expansion process until the expansion pressure has fallen below the compression pressure.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A two stroke, internal combustion, reciprocating engine having a number of similar working units, each working unit comprising: 
 a) a cylinder, closed at one end by a cylinder head and containing a movable power piston which moves in a reciprocating manner and is connected to a power output shaft;    b) a plunger comprising a movable wall and a barrel, with said movable wall portion located within said cylinder and between said power piston and said cylinder head and with said barrel portion of said plunger extending through said cylinder head and forming an exhaust pipe, said movable wall of said plunger can be moved between said power piston and said cylinder head;    c) an exhaust valve for exhausting the exhaust gases located on said plunger to permit the flow of exhaust gases from said cylinder when said plunger moves towards said power piston, and prevent the flow of exhaust gases from said cylinder at all other times;    d) a one way flow means located on said plunger to prevent flow through said plunger when said plunger moves towards said power piston, and allow flow through said plunger when said plunger moves towards said cylinder head;    e) a means for storing energy during the expansion part of the cycle for use in moving said plunger during the exhaust and air intake part of the cycle;    f) an air inlet valve for permitting the flow of fresh working fluid into said cylinder during the time during each operating cycle that said plunger moves toward said power piston;    g) a pressure reducing chamber that when opened to said cylinder increases the volume of said cylinder thereby reducing the pressure in said cylinder;    h) a means for opening said pressure reducing chamber into said cylinder;    i) a means for increasing the temperature of the compressed gases;    j) a thermal regenerator; said regenerator being an alternating flow heat exchanger which moves with said plunger between said cylinder head and said power piston, and stores heat from exhaust gases as it moves towards said power piston, and releases heat to the compressed air as said regenerator moves away from said power piston;    k) a regenerator protector;    l) a protector valve in said regenerator protector that is open whenever said plunger is away from said cylinder head and closed when said plunger is adjacent to said cylinder head;    m) a check valve in said regenerator protector that is open only when the pressure above it exceeds the pressure below it;    
     
     
         2 . An engine as recited in  claim 1  wherein said one way flow means is a valve.  
     
     
         3 . An engine as recited in  claim 1  wherein said means for storing energy is a spring.  
     
     
         4 . An engine as recited in  claim 1  wherein said means for opening said pressure reducing chamber into said cylinder is a port in the wall of said cylinder.  
     
     
         5 . A process for operating the engine of  claim 1  having the following steps: 
 a) said power piston moves down as a result of pressure created by the increasing temperature of the compressed gases;  
 b) said protector check valve is forced closed by air pressure;  
 c) said power piston delivers output power;  
 d) said protector check valve is forced open by the compressed air pressure trapped in the regenerator, and the trapped compressed air volume joins the expansion process;  
 e) at about 85% of the downward travel of said power piston, said power piston uncovers said pressure reducing chamber port;  
 f) pressure in said cylinder drops;  
 g) said exhaust valve is opened by said means for storing energy;  
 h) said one way flow means is closed;  
 i) said plunger starts to move down;  
 j) said protector valve opens;  
 k) said air inlet valve opens;  
 l) said plunger continues to move down sucking in fresh air and pushing out exhaust gases;  
 m) the exhaust gases going out heat up said regenerator;  
 n) said power piston starts back up;  
 o) said power piston and said plunger meet;  
 p) said power piston forces said plunger upwards;  
 q) said exhaust valve is closed;  
 r) said one way flow means is closed;  
 s) said air inlet valve is closed;  
 t) the air is compressed;  
 u) the compressed air pressure forces said plunger up against said cylinder head;  
 v) as said plunger moves up against said cylinder head, the compressed air moves through said regenerator and heats up;  
 w) said protector valve closes;  
 x) said power piston reaches the top of its travel;  
 y) said means for increasing the temperature of the compressed gases increase the temperature of the compressed gases;  
 z) the cycle repeats.