Crankless internal combustion engine

Abstract

An internal combustion engine provides a piston and a cylinder within which either the piston or the cylinder, or both, are free to move and using constraining motion, either the piston or the cylinder reciprocates. A shaft takeoff integral with either the piston or the cylinder experiences rotational motion. The motion is constrained by using laterally extending tits of either the piston or the cylinder to move in curilinear grooves of the other or of a housing encompassing the cylinder.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising: a cylinder and therewithin a piston; the piston free to move in reciprocating rotational motion within an annular curvilinear groove within the cylinder; and an axial shaft takeoff integral with the piston and engaged within a sliding coupling for delivery of rotational motion  
     
     
         2 . An apparatus comprising: a housing and therewithin, a cylinder and therewithin a piston; one of the housing and the cylinder providing an annular curvilinear groove; one of the piston and the cylinder providing opposing tits engaged within the annular curvilinear groove enabling reciprocating motion of one of the piston and the cylinder.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the cylinder is fixed, the piston moving in rotational and reciprocating motion within the cylinder, the piston further providing a shaft extending axial therefrom, the shaft providing rotational driving force to a drive train slidingly engaged with the shaft.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the housing provides the interior annular curvilinear groove, the cylinder providing the laterally protruding tits engaged within the groove of the housing; the cylinder moving in rotational and reciprocating motion within the housing; the cylinder further providing a shaft extending axial therefrom, the shaft providing rotational driving force to a drive train slidingly engaged with the shaft.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the housing provides an integral axially oriented interior linear guide rod; the cylinder providing the annular curvilinear groove, and the piston providing the laterally protruding tits engaged within the groove of the cylinder; the piston moving in reciprocating motion within the cylinder and along the linear guide of the housing; the cylinder thereby caused to move in non-reciprocating rotational motion; the cylinder further providing a shaft extending axial therefrom, the shaft providing rotational driving force.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the housing provides the annular curvilinear groove; the piston providing the laterally protruding tits engaged within the groove of the housing through apertures in the cylinder; the piston moving in reciprocating rotational motion within the cylinder; the cylinder thereby caused to move in non-reciprocating rotational motion; the cylinder further providing a shaft extending axial therefrom, the shaft providing rotational driving force.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the housing provides a surface element interactive with a valve of the cylinder for actuating the valve cyclically.