Patent ID: 6129068
Filing Date: 2000-10-10
Classification: F01C,F02B

Abstract:
A rotary engine comprising:a housing defining a generally cylindrical chamber having a longitudinal axis, said housing having a combustion containment valve opening, a combustion manifold opening, and an exhaust opening;an axle aligned along said longitudinal axis;a rotor coupled to said axle and positioned for rotation within said chamber about said longitudinal axis, said rotor including a base portion having a generally uniform circumference about said axis and a shoulder extending from said base portion to a radially outermost point, said rotor base portion and said shoulder defining a recess extending radially inward from said circumference of said base portion and between said radially outermost point of said shoulder and said axle, said rotor base portion and said housing defining a generally annular combustion chamber therebetween;a combustion manifold coupled to said housing defining a subcombustion chamber in fluid communication with said combustion chamber through said housing combustion manifold opening;fuel introduction means for introducing a combustible fuel into said subcombustion chamber;air introduction means for introducing air into said subcombustion chamber;ignition means in fluid communication with said subcombustion chamber for creating an ignition within said subcombustion chamber sufficient to ignite a combustible fuel therein;a combustion containment valve having an end portion mounted for reciprocal movement between a closed position extending into said cylindrical chamber adjacent said rotor base portion and an open position generally withdrawn from said cylindrical chamber, said end portion being configured to create a seal between said rotor and said housing with said end portion positioned in said closed position;a cam coupled to said rotor for rotation about said axis;a cam follower coupled to said combustion containment valve configured to ride upon said cam and actuate the movement of said combustion containment valve between said open position and said closed position;whereby with the combustion containment valve positioned at its closed position, the ignition of fuel causes a force within the combustion manifold which causes the rotor to rotate within the housing about the axis thereby driving the axle, and whereby the rotation of the rotor causes the rotation of the cam which in turn moves the cam follower thereon thereby moving the coupled combustion containment valve coupled thereto to move to its open position.