Internal Combustion Engine and Method

Abstract

Internal combustion engine and method in which pistons on different rotors move relative to each other to form chambers of variable volume in a toroidal cylinder. The pistons move in stepwise fashion, with the pistons on one rotor travelling a predetermined distance while the pistons on the other rotor remain substantially stationary. Fuel is drawn into a chamber as one of the pistons defining the chamber moves away from the other, and then compressed as the second piston moves toward the first. Combustion of the fuel drives the first piston away from the second, and the spent gases are then expelled from the chamber by the second piston moving again toward the first. An output shaft is connected to the rotors in such manner that the shaft rotates continuously while the rotors and pistons move in their stepwise fashion.

1 . A positive displacement pump comprising: a toroidal cylinder, a plurality of pairs of inlet and outlet ports spaced around the cylinder, first and second rotors disposed coaxially of the cylinder, a plurality of pistons on each of the rotors, with the pistons on one of the rotors being interposed between the pistons on the other rotor to form a plurality of chambers of variable volume around the cylinder, and an input shaft connected to the rotors in such manner that when the shaft is driven in continuous rotation, the pistons on the two rotors move around the cylinder alternately in stepwise fashion, with the pistons on one rotor remaining substantially stationary and forming seals between the inlet and outlet ports while the pistons on the other rotor advance, drawing fluid into chambers in communication with the inlet ports, and expelling fluid from chambers in communication with the outlet ports.  
   
   
       2 . The positive displacement pump of  claim 1  wherein the input shaft is connected to the rotors in such manner that the pistons on each rotor move through n steps of 360°/n for each revolution of the shaft, where n is the number of pistons on each of the rotors.  
   
   
       3 . The positive displacement pump of  claim 1  wherein there are n pistons on each rotor, the cylinder is divided into 2n chambers, and there are n pairs of inlet and outlet ports spaced around the cylinder, with fluid being drawn into and discharged from each of the chambers n times during each revolution of the input shaft.  
   
   
       4 . A method of pumping fluid with a positive displacement pump having a toroidal cylinder, inlet and outlet ports arranged in pairs around the cylinder, an input shaft disposed coaxially of the cylinder, a pair of rotors adapted for rotation about the axis of the cylinder, and a plurality of pistons on the rotors interposed between each other around the cylinder to divide the cylinder into a plurality of chambers, comprising the steps of: rotating the input shaft in a continuous manner, imparting continuous rotation from the input shaft to a pair of crankshafts mounted on a carrier affixed to the input shaft, converting the continuous rotation of the crankshafts to stepwise rotation of the rotors in which the pistons on one rotor remain substantially stationary between the inlet and outlet ports while the pistons on the other rotor advance, drawing fluid into chambers in communication with the inlet ports and expelling fluid from chambers in communication with the outlet ports.  
   
   
       5 . A positive displacement pump comprising: 
 a. a toroidal cylinder;    b. a plurality of pairs of inlet and outlet ports spaced around the cylinder,    c. an input shaft disposed coaxially of the cylinder;    d. a first hollow shaft rotatively mounted on the input shaft;    e. a second hollow shaft rotatively mounted on the first hollow shaft;    f. a pair of rotors affixed to respective ones of the hollow shafts;    g. a plurality of pistons on the rotors with the pistons on the two rotors being interposed between each other around the cylinder and dividing the cylinder into a plurality of chambers;    h. a sun gear disposed coaxially of the input shaft;    I. a carrier affixed to the input shaft;    j. a pair of crankshafts rotatively mounted on the carrier with gears on the crankshafts in meshing engagement with the sun gear for rotating the crankshafts about their axes as they travel around the sun gear;    k. a pair of crank arms affixed to respective ones of the hollow shafts for movement in concert with the rotors; and    l. connecting rods interconnecting the crankshafts and the crank arms such that the rotors turn alternately in stepwise fashion, with the pistons on one of the rotors remaining substantially stationary and forming seals between the inlet and outlet ports while the pistons on the other rotor advance, drawing fluid into chambers in communication with the inlet ports and expelling fluid from chambers in communication with the outlet.