Abstract:
An internal combustion engine that includes a rotary device is disclosed. A rotary head has an expansion chamber that includes intake and exhaust slots. A drum with axial slots radially displaced over its circumference is disposed in close noncontacting proximity to the inner side of the rotary head. The drum and the rotary head are substantially rotationally symmetric about a common axis. Radially moveable plates respond to a mechanical control mechanism adapted to move each plate from a retracted position in which the plate is located entirely within the outer surface of the drum and an extended position in which the plate is in close proximity to an upper surface of the expansion chamber to substantially seal the expansion chamber. At least one of the plates is substantially always present between the intake slot and the exhaust slot such that when the combustion gas is under pressure within the expansion chamber force is exerted on the plate and the drum to produce rotational motion of the rotary head about the common axis.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is a nonprovisional of, and claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Prov. Pat. Appl. No. 61/343,048, entitled “High performance continuous internal combustion engine,” filed Apr. 23, 2010 by Ionel Mihailescu, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This application relates generally to an internal combustion engine. More specifically, this application relates to a rotary internal combustion engine. 
         [0003]    Internal combustion engines provide a mechanism for generating energy through the combustion of a fuel with an oxidizer, with typical fuels including diesel, gasoline, petroleum gas, and propane, and typical oxidizers including air. A number of different designs for internal combustion engines are known, including reciprocating engines in which pistons move within cylinders to convert pressure into rotational motion. Examples of reciprocating engines particularly include stroke engines, with designs that implement two-stroke cycles, four-stroke cycles, and six-stroke cycles, although there are other designs also. 
         [0004]    Other structures for internal combustion engines avoid the use of pistons, such as by using rotors to effect the conversion of pressure into rotational motion instead of reciprocating pistons. 
         [0005]    Both reciprocating engines and rotary engines are examples of engines that operate with intermittent combustion. Other designs use the same general principle of converting pressure into rotational motion, but are configured so that the combustion is continuous. 
         [0006]    There are a number of sources of inefficiency in various engine designs, and some designs are more susceptible to operational failures. For example, in some rotary designs, contact between the rotary vanes and stationary parts of the engine reduces the lifetime of the engine because of progressive damage arising from friction. Other designs have constant-volume combustion chambers, limiting the ability for combustion gases to expand under pressure. In most such engines, the gases under pressure have little leverage when acting on the rotary part so that the efficiency can be low. 
         [0007]    Some engines that function as conventional two- or four-stroke engines provide insufficient time for complete fuel burning or lack ways to cool, resulting in limited efficiency. Other disadvantages that are known with convention two- or four-stroke engines include variations in leverage, with relatively little leverage being provided at the beginning of the power stroke so that power may be lost at the end of the power stroke. In addition, the exhaust valve is typically opened when the cylinders are still under pressure, contributing to power loss, particularly at high revolution speeds. These types of engines tend to have a large number of moving parts, which can be heavy so that energy is lost in accelerating those parts. There may also be significant losses due to friction between the moving parts. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0008]    Embodiments of the invention provide a rotary device and an internal combustion engine that may include the rotary device. 
         [0009]    The rotary device comprises a rotary head having an expansion chamber on an inner side of a body of the rotary head. The expansion chamber includes an intake slot in fluid communication with a source of combustion gas and includes an exhaust slot. 
         [0010]    A drum has a plurality of axial slots radially displaced over a circumference of the drum. An outer surface of the drum is disposed in close noncontacting proximity to the inner side of the rotary head. The drum and the rotary head are substantially rotationally symmetric about a common axis. 
         [0011]    A plurality of radially moveable plates respond to a mechanical control mechanism that is adapted to move each plate from a retracted position in which the each plate is located entirely within the outer surface of the drum and an extended position in which the each plate is in close proximity to an upper surface of the expansion chamber to substantially seal the expansion chamber. At least one of the plates is substantially always present between the intake slot and the exhaust slot such that when the combustion gas is under pressure within the expansion chamber force is exerted on the at least one of the plates and the drum to produce rotational motion of the rotary head about the common axis. 
         [0012]    In some of these rotary-device embodiments, the drum is free to rotate about the common axis, with the force additionally producing rotational motion of the drum about the common axis in a direction opposite to the rotational motion of the rotary head. In other embodiments, the drum is held stationary relative to the common axis. 
         [0013]    The rotary head and the drum may be sealed with noncontacting labyrinthine seals. For example, the noncontacting labyrinthine seals may comprise a plurality of grooves substantially perpendicular to an escape direction for the combustion gas under pressure. 
         [0014]    The rotary device may also comprise a closed track cam for positioning the plates. The plates may include sliders disposed for movement along the closed track cam. In some instances, the rotary device may also comprise sliding bushings to receive the sliders, with the sliding bushings having a conically shaped surface. 
         [0015]    In embodiments of the invention that provide a continuous internal combustion engine, a combustor and an ignition device may be provided in addition to the rotary device, which may be embodied as part of the continuous internal combustion engine in any of the ways summarized above: The combustor is provided in fluid communication with a supply of fuel and a supply of oxidizer, with the intake slot of the expansion chamber of the rotary head being in fluid communication with the combustor. An ignition device is adapted to ignite a mixture of the fuel and oxidizer within the combustor to produce a combustion gas. 
         [0016]    The combustor may comprise a combustor expansion chamber in fluid communication with the intake slot of the rotary-head expansion chamber. A burning chamber may be enveloped by the combustor expansion chamber, with a wall of the burning chamber including calibrate orifices to provide fluid communication between the burning chamber and the combustor expansion chamber. A mixing chamber may be enveloped by the burning chamber, with a wall of the mixing chamber including calibrate orifices to provide fluid communication between the mixing chamber and the burning chamber. 
         [0017]    In some embodiments of the continuous internal combustion engine, the combustor rotates with the rotary head in response to the force. 
         [0018]    The oxidizer may comprise air. An air pump in fluid communication may be adapted to pump air into the combustor. This may be achieved in different ways in different embodiments. For example, an accumulator may additionally be provided in fluid communication with the combustor and in fluid communication with the air pump, with the air pump adapted to pump air into the combustor via the accumulator. The air pump may be actuated by exhausting of the combustion gas from the exhaust slot. For instance, the continuous internal combustion engine may further comprise a turbine, with the air pump being actuated by the turbine in response to actuation of the turbine by exhausting of the combustion gas from the exhaust slot. Alternatively, the continuous internal combustion engine may comprise an auxiliary rotary device, with the air pump being actuated by the auxiliary rotary device in response to actuation of the auxiliary rotary device by exhausting of the combustion gas from the exhaust slot or directly from the combustion chamber, permitting part of the combustion gas to actuate the main rotary device for useful power and part of the combustion gas to actuate the auxiliary rotary device for air supply of the combustion chamber. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the present invention may be realized by reference to the remaining portions of the specification and the drawings wherein like reference numerals are used throughout the several drawings to refer to similar components. In some instances, a sublabel is associated with a reference numeral following a hyphen to denote one of multiple similar components. When reference is made to a reference numeral without specification to an existing sublabel, it is intended to refer to all such multiple similar components. 
           [0020]      FIG. 1A ,  1 B, and  1 C respectively provide side, isometric, and vertical-plane longitudinal cross-sectional views of a continuous internal combustion engine with dual rotation in one embodiment of the invention. 
           [0021]      FIGS. 2A and 2B  respectively provide a top view and a transverse cross-sectional view at the middle of the rotary device for the engine of  FIGS. 1A-1C . 
           [0022]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  respectively provide a top view and a transverse cross-sectional view at sliding axes for the engine of the engine of  FIGS. 1A-1C . 
           [0023]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  respectively provide top and horizontal-plane longitudinal cross-sectional views of the engine of  FIGS. 1A-1C . 
           [0024]      FIGS. 5A ,  5 B, and  5 C respectively provide side, isometric, and horizontal-plane longitudinal cross-sectional views of a continuous internal combustion engine with dual rotation in a second embodiment of the invention. 
           [0025]      FIGS. 6A ,  6 B, and  6 C respectively provide a front view, a transverse cross-sectional view at sliding axes, and a horizontal-plane longitudinal cross-sectional view of an internal combustion engine with a rotary head according to a third embodiment of the invention; 
           [0026]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  respectively provide side and vertical-plane longitudinal cross-sectional views of the engine of  FIGS. 6A-6C . 
           [0027]      FIGS. 8A ,  8 B, and  8 C respectively provide a front view, an isometric view, and a transverse cross-sectional view at sliding axes of an internal combustion engine according to a fourth embodiment of the invention. 
           [0028]      FIGS. 9A and 9B  respectively provide front and horizontal-plane longitudinal cross-sectional views of the engine of  FIGS. 8A-8C . 
           [0029]      FIGS. 10A ,  10 B,  10 C, and  10 D respectively provide a side view, an isometric view, a longitudinal cross-sectional view at a position of sparkers or a glowing rod, and a longitudinal cross-sectional view at a position of fuel injectors for a combustion chamber of the engine of  FIGS. 1A-1C  or of the engine of  FIGS. 5A-5C . 
           [0030]      FIGS. 11A ,  11 B,  11 C, and  11 D respectively provide a side view, an isometric view of a first side, an isometric view of a second side, and a horizontal-plane longitudinal cross-sectional view of a combustion chamber of the engine of  FIGS. 6A-6C ; 
           [0031]      FIGS. 12A ,  12 B, and  12 C respectively provide front, isometric, and horizontal-plane longitudinal cross-sectional views of a combustion chamber of the engine of  FIGS. 8A-8C . 
           [0032]      FIGS. 13A ,  13 B,  13 C,  13 D, and  13 E respectively provide a side view, a front view, an isometric view, a longitudinal cross-sectional view at a position for combustion-gas intake slots, and a transverse cross-sectional view of a rotary head of the engine of  FIGS. 1A-1C . 
           [0033]      FIGS. 14A ,  14 B,  14 C,  14 D, and  14 E respectively provide a side view, a front view, an isometric view, a longitudinal cross-sectional view at a position for combustion-gas intake slots, and a transverse cross-sectional view of a rotary head of the engine of  FIGS. 5A-5C .  FIG. 14F  provides a detail view to illustrate a labyrinthine nontouching seal for sealing with an exhaust manifold.  FIG. 14G  provides a detail view to illustrate a labyrinthine nontouching seal for sealing with a drum. 
           [0034]      FIGS. 15A ,  15 B,  15 C,  15 D,  15 E, and  15 F respectively provide left, front, isometric, right, vertical-plane longitudinal cross-sectional, and transverse cross-sectional views of a rotary head of the engine of  FIGS. 6A-6C .  FIG. 15G  provides a detail view to illustrate a labyrinthine nontouching seal for sealing with a drum and exhaust or intake manifold. 
           [0035]      FIGS. 16A ,  16 B,  16 C,  16 D,  16 E, and  16 F respectively provide left, front, isometric, right, horizontal-plane longitudinal cross-sectional, and transverse cross-sectional views of a rotary head of the engine of  FIGS. 8A-8C . 
           [0036]      FIGS. 17A ,  17 B, and  17 C respectively provide side, isometric, and front views of plates and sliders that may be used with the engine of  FIGS. 1A-1C  or with the engine of  FIGS. 5A-5C . 
           [0037]      FIGS. 18A ,  18 B, and  18 C respectively provide isometric, front, and side views of plates and sliders that may be used with the engine of  FIGS. 6A-6C .  FIG. 18D  provides a transverse cross-sectional view of a sliding rod.  FIG. 18E  provides a detail view of a plate to illustrate grooves for sealing. 
           [0038]      FIGS. 19A ,  19 B, and  19 C respectively provide isometric, side, and front views of plates and sliders that may be used with the engine of  FIGS. 8A-8C . 
           [0039]      FIGS. 20A ,  20 B,  20 C,  20 D, and  20 E respectively provide front, side, isometric, transverse cross-sectional, and vertical-plane longitudinal cross-sectional views of a rotary drum for the engine of  FIGS. 1A-1C . 
           [0040]      FIGS. 21A ,  21 B,  21 C,  21 D, and  21 E respectively provide front, side, isometric, transverse cross-sectional, and vertical-plane longitudinal cross-sectional views of a rotary drum for the engine of  FIGS. 5A-5C . 
           [0041]      FIGS. 22A ,  22 B,  22 C,  22 D, and  22 E respectively provide front, side, isometric, transverse cross-sectional, and vertical-plane longitudinal cross-sectional views of a stationary drum for the engine of  FIGS. 6A-6C  or for the engine of  FIGS. 8A-8C . 
           [0042]      FIGS. 23A ,  23 B, and  23 C respectively provide side, vertical-plane longitudinal cross-sectional, and transverse cross-sectional views of a closed-track cam with two or more uniformly distributed lobes. 
           [0043]      FIGS. 24A ,  24 B,  24 C, and  24 D respectively provide side, front, isometric, and vertical-plane longitudinal cross-sectional views of an air accumulator for the engine of  FIGS. 1A-1C . 
           [0044]      FIGS. 25A ,  25 B,  25 C, and  25 D respectively provide side, front, isometric, and vertical-plane longitudinal cross-sectional views of an air accumulator for the engine of  FIGS. 5A-5C . 
           [0045]      FIGS. 26A ,  26 B, and  26 C respectively provide side, isometric, and horizontal-plane longitudinal cross-sectional views of an exhaust manifold for the engine of  FIGS. 1A-1C . 
           [0046]      FIGS. 27A ,  27 B, and  27 C respectively provide side, isometric, and horizontal-plane longitudinal cross-sectional views of an exhaust manifold for the engine of  FIGS. 5A-5C  or for the engine of  FIGS. 6A-6C , or for an exhaust or intake manifold for the engine of  FIGS. 8A-8C .  FIG. 27D  provides a detail view to illustrate a labyrinthine nontouching seal for sealing with a rotary head. 
           [0047]      FIGS. 28A ,  28 B, and  28 C respectively provide isometric, front, and horizontal-plane longitudinal cross-sectional views of a shaft with incorporated air supply for the engine of  FIGS. 1A-1C . 
           [0048]      FIGS. 29A and 29B  respectively provide front and longitudinal cross-sectional views of a sliding bushing used in embodiments of the invention. 
           [0049]      FIGS. 30A and 30B  respectively provide a front view and a transverse cross-sectional view of a compact-seal assembly. 
           [0050]      FIGS. 31A and 31B  respectively provide a front view and a transverse cross-sectional view of another compact-seal assembly. 
           [0051]      FIGS. 32A ,  32 B, and  32 C respectively provide detail isometric, front, and vertical-plane longitudinal cross-sectional views of the compact-seal assembly of  FIGS. 30A and 30B . 
           [0052]      FIGS. 33A ,  33 B, and  33 C respectively provide detail isometric, front, and vertical-plane longitudinal cross-sectional views of the compact-seal assembly of  FIGS. 31A and 31B . 
           [0053]      FIG. 34  provides a schematic representation of a vehicle drive system using an internal combustion engine described herein. 
           [0054]      FIG. 35  provides a schematic representation of an alternative vehicle drive system using an internal combustion engine described herein. 
           [0055]      FIG. 36  provides a schematic representation of an alternative vehicle drive system using an internal combustion engine described herein. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
       [0056]    Embodiments of the invention provide a high-performance continuous internal combustion engine. The engine generally comprises a combustion chamber, a fuel system that delivers a fuel-air mixture to the combustion chamber for ignition, and a rotary device. The rotary device generally comprises a drum, a rotary head, and a number of plates. The drum and rotary head may each have a rotationally symmetric shape centered about a common rotational axis, with the inside of the rotary head being in close proximity to the outside of the drum. One or more expansion chambers are uniformly distributed on the circumference of the rotary head. 
         [0057]    The plates move through lengthwise slots provided in the outer revolving body of the drum between retracted positions in which plates are located entirely within the outer surface of the drum, and extended positions, in which plates extend to be in close proximity of the upper surface of each expansion chamber, thereby practically sealing the expansion chambers in the rotary head. Each expansion chamber comprises a combustion-gas intake slot on an opposite side from a combustion-gas exhaust slot. Between the slots, a plate is always present so that when the combustion gas is under pressure the plate and drum are pushed, resulting in rotation of the rotary head, until the plate reaches the exhaust slot where the gas under pressure is released, thus producing work. 
       Overview of Engine Structure 
       [0058]    The drawings are provided for a schematic illustration of features of the invention. They are not drawn to scale and certain parts, such as seals and other auxiliary parts, that are not essential to explain the operation of the internal combustion engine are omitted. A first embodiment is illustrated with  FIGS. 1A-4B .  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B, and  1 C provide side, isometric, and vertical-plane longitudinal cross-sectional views of the engine, which operates with dual rotation.  FIGS. 2A and 2B  provide a top view and a transverse cross-sectional view at the middle of the rotary device, while  FIGS. 3A and 3B  provide a top view and a transverse cross-sectional view at sliding axes. Top and horizontal-plane longitudinal cross-sectional views are illustrated with  FIGS. 4A and 4B . 
         [0059]    The internal combustion engine comprises a combustion chamber  104  that is fixedly coupled to a rotary head  108  so that the two move together. The rotary head  108  may also move in combination with an air accumulator  124 , closed track cams  120 , a fuel rotating union  152 , and an inner part of an air pump  144 . These parts are interconnected to provide the combined movement through a shaft  140  and keys  156  (see  FIGS. 3B and 4B ). A rotary drum  116  moves together with the outer part of the air pump  144  and with a plurality of plates  112  that slide in bushings located in slide boxes on each side of the drum  116 . Exemplary structures for the slider bushings are discussed further below in connection with  FIGS. 29A and 29B . A rotating union  152  allows for the intake of fuel, which, merely by way of example, may include diesel, gasoline, petroleum gas, propane, or the like, and an exhaust manifold  128  allows for exhausting combustion products from the engine. Journal bearings  148 , only some of which are explicitly identified, may be used to couple the various structures. While the drawings show the use of planetary reducers  132  and  136  to gear the engine when coupled with a vehicle, the invention is not limited to the use of planetary gearing and other types of gearing mechanisms known to those of skill in the art may be used in alternative embodiments. 
         [0060]    In operation, air is provided to the engine via the air accumulator  124 , which is provided in fluidic communication with the combustion chamber  104 . It will be appreciated that while “air” is referred to herein as a suitable oxidizer for the combustion reactions, other oxidizers may be provided to the combustion chamber  104  in alternative embodiments such as may be appropriate for certain specialized applications for the engine. Fuel is supplied to the air stream between the air accumulator  124  and the combustion chamber  104  via the rotating union  152  so that the air-fuel mixture may be ignited within the combustion chamber  104 . 
         [0061]    The combustion gases are provided under pressure and will have nowhere to escape but through an intake slot comprised by the rotary head  108  and thereby be directed to an expansion chamber, described in greater detail in connection with  FIGS. 13A-13E  below. Here, the gases under pressure push the plates  112 , creating a reactive force that pushes in the opposite end of the expansion chamber to make the rotary head  108 —and all parts connected with the rotary head  108 —rotate in one direction. The plates with the rotary drum  116 , together with the outside of the air pump  144  rotate in the opposite direction because the rotary head  108  actuates the first planetary reducer  132  through the shaft  140 . The rotary drum  116  similarly actuates the second planetary reducer  136  through a second shaft discussed in further detail in connection with  FIGS. 20A-20E . When the engine is coupled with a vehicle, the planetary reducers  132  and  136  may thereby impart rotational motion to wheels. 
         [0062]    When the rotary head  108  and rotary drum  116  begin to rotate, the rotary drum  116  starts to rotate the outer part of the air pump  144  and the rotary head  108  starts to rotate the inner part of the air pump  144 , creating a pumping effect that supplies air to the air accumulator  124 . Having both the rotary head  108  and the rotary drum  116  rotate has a number of beneficial consequences. For example, at a certain rate of revolution, the power output is doubled as a result of the dual rotation. Merely by way of example, if the rotary drum  116  has a rotation speed of  10 , 000  RPM and the rotary head  108  has an equal rotation speed in the opposite direction, the relative rotation speed between the rotary drum  116  and the rotary head  108  is 20,000 RPM. The stress in each of the rotary head  108  and the rotary drum  116  corresponds to that induced by a rotation speed of 10,000 RPM while the power generated corresponds to that for a rotation speed of 20,000 RPM. Since centrifugal forces are proportional to the square of the rotation speed, this results in a stress decrease of four time for a given power output. 
         [0063]    In addition, because both the rotary drum  116  and the rotary head  108  are in rotational motion, each has deformations resulting from the centrifugal forces that are approximately the same, decreasing the loss of combustion gases through gaps and increasing efficiency. The dual rotation thereby enables operations to be performed with higher rotational speeds than in designs that have only single rotation, allowing even greater power output 
         [0064]    A second embodiment is illustrated with  FIGS. 5A-5C , which provide side, isometric, and horizontal-plane longitudinal cross-sectional views of an embodiment that also operates with dual rotation. The design is conceptually similar to the design described in connection with  FIGS. 1A-4C . A combustion chamber  204  is fixedly coupled to a rotary head  208  so that the two move together, also in combination with an air accumulator  220 , closed-track cams  216 , and a fuel rotary union  248 . These parts are interconnected to provide the combined movement through a shaft  236  and keys  252 . A rotary drum  212  moves a plurality of plates similarly to as described in connection with the previous embodiment to achieve dual rotation of the rotary head  208  and rotary drum  212 . An exhaust manifold  224  is provided to exhaust combustion products from the engine, and planetary reducers  228  and  232  may be provided to gear the engine when coupled with a vehicle. Journal bearings  244 , only some of which are explicitly identified, may be used to couple the various structures. 
         [0065]    In this embodiment, the combustion chamber  204  may have a rotationally symmetric shape that rotates with the rotary head  208 ; alternatively, the combustion chamber  204  may be provided in a stationary configuration, in which case the combustion chamber  204  envelopes the rotary head with a dynamic seal between the combustion chamber  204  and rotary head  208  on each side, and with a fixed air accumulator  220 . 
         [0066]    Air may be provided directly to the combustion chamber  204  from an air pump  240 . In configurations where the combustion chamber  204  rotates, exhaust gas may be used to rotate a turbine  256  that actuates the air pump  240  to supply air to the air accumulator  220 , which rotates together with the rotary head  208 . As explained in further detail below in connection with  FIGS. 27A-27D , a valve may be used to adjust the exhaust gases being directed to the turbine  256  so that the flow to the air accumulator  220 , with the remainder of the exhaust gases being evacuated directly to the atmosphere. This embodiment allows for easy and accurate control over the supply of air to the air accumulator  220  or directly to the combustion chamber  204 , enabling the engine to function efficiently in a wide variety of operational conditions. Fuel is added to the airstream through the fuel rotary union  248  to enable combustion within the combustion chamber  204  and the production of energy in a manner similar to that described above. 
         [0067]    Other embodiments employ a single-rotation configuration, such as illustrated for an embodiment with  FIGS. 6A-7B .  FIGS. 6A ,  6 B, and  6 C provide a front view, a transverse cross-sectional view at sliding axes, and a horizontal-plane longitudinal cross-sectional view of the engine. Side and vertical-plane longitudinal cross-sectional views are shown in  FIGS. 7A and 7B . 
         [0068]    In this engine, only the rotary head  304  rotates while the drum  312  is held stationary by the combustion chamber  332  through a key  324 . When the engine is deployed in a vehicle, the combustion chamber  332  may be held in position by a chassis frame of the vehicle (not shown). Bearing blocks  340  may be provided on each side of the structure and journal bearings  328  may be employed to couple various of the components. The rotary head  304  is shown in the drawings as having a cylindrical shape, but this is not a requirement of the invention. More generally, the rotary head  304  may comprise any rotationally symmetric shape, including, for example, spherical, oval, and ellipsoidal shapes. 
         [0069]    In this embodiment, the rotary head  304  rotates together with cams  316  and the inner part of the air pump  336  through a shaft  320  and keys  324 . The outside part of the air pump  336  is held stationary by the combustion chamber  332 . When a fuel-air mixture is ignited within the combustion chamber  332 , the pressure of the combustion gases pushes plates  308  that in turn push the drum  312 . Because the drum  312  is fixed, reaction forces are applied to the rotary head  304 . Combustion products may be evacuated to the atmosphere through an exhaust manifold  310 . 
         [0070]    Because only the rotary head  304  rotates and not the drum  312 , centrifugal forces act just on the head  304 , resulting in deformation of the head  304  that is not duplicated on the drum  312 . This may be accommodated by minimizing gaps between the rotary head  304  and the drum  312  and/or between the rotary head  304  and the plates  308 . In one embodiment, discussed in greater detail below in connection with  FIGS. 15A-15G , rigidity ribs are used, although other techniques may be used in alternative embodiments to limit gaps. 
         [0071]    One consequence of having a fixed drum  312  is that oil for lubrication and for the plates is not subject to centrifugal forces, simplifying providing seals within the engine structure. 
         [0072]    A further embodiment is illustrated with the drawings of  FIGS. 8A-9B .  FIGS. 8A ,  8 B, and  8 C show a front view, an isometric view, and a transverse cross-sectional view at sliding axes, while  FIGS. 9A and 9B  respectively provide front and horizontal-plane longitudinal cross-sectional views of the engine. 
         [0073]    Like the previous embodiment, in this embodiment only the drum  416  is held in a stationary position, in this illustration by a holding block  440 . The rotary head  408 , which rotates together with cams  420  through a shaft  424  and keys  428 , has intake or exhaust passages on both sides to direct combustion gases to intake or exhaust slots. Bearing blocks  444  may be provided and journal bearings  432  may be employed to couple various components. A valve on an intake or exhaust manifold  424  may be used to control a ratio of combustion gases from a combustion chamber  404  that are supplied to the rotary head  408  and exhausted to the atmosphere. In this way, the direction of rotation of the rotary head  408  may be adjusted, permitting a direction of a vehicle powered by the engine to be changed. In this illustration, the combustion chamber  404  is disposed in the back of the rotary head  408 , making it easier to accommodate between sets of wheels comprised by the vehicle. 
         [0074]    Combustion gases from the combustion chamber  404  are supplied to an auxiliary rotary device  436  that actuates an air pump  432 . A valve may be used to control the relative portion of the combustion gases that are directed to the auxiliary rotary device  436 , thereby controlling the quantity of air supplied to the combustion chamber  404  according to working conditions. Similar to the operation of the previously described embodiment, gases under pressure push plates  412  to exert a force on the drum  416 , the reactive force being exerted on the rotary head  408 . 
       Combustion Chamber 
       [0075]    Different configurations may be used for the combustion chamber for the different engine configurations.  FIGS. 10A-10D  illustrate one embodiment of a combustion chamber that may be used in embodiments of the dual rotation engines (i.e. with the engines described in connection with  FIGS. 1A-4B  or with  FIGS. 5A-5C ), with the different drawings providing a side view, an isometric view, a longitudinal cross-sectional view at a position of sparkers or a glowing rod, and a longitudinal cross-sectional view at a position of fuel injectors. 
         [0076]    In these drawings, the combustion chamber is defined by a body  504  that may be lined with a thermally insulating material  508  such as aluminized fabric or fiberglass. In addition to an expansion chamber  540 , the combustion chamber may comprise a burning chamber  512  and a mixing chamber  516 . Air and fuel are respectively provided to the mixing chamber  516  via an air-intake passage  520  and a fuel injector  524  so that they may mix for ignition in the burning chamber  512  with a sparker or glowing rod  528  according to mechanisms well known in the art. The subchambers may be separated by walls, specifically a first wall separation  532  between the mixing chamber  516  and the burning chamber  512  and a second wall separation  536  between the burning chamber  512  and the expansion chamber  540 . Each of these wall separations  532  and  536  is preferably structured to allow fluid communication between the subchambers, such as by having perforated wall separations. 
         [0077]    Another embodiment for a combustion chamber suitable for use with the internal combustion engine described in connection with  FIGS. 6A-6C . This is illustrated in  FIGS. 11A-11D , which provide a side view, an isometric view of a first side, an isometric view of a second side, and a horizontal-plane longitudinal cross-sectional view. The combustion chamber comprises a body expansion chamber  604 , a burning chamber  608 , and a mixing chamber  612 , which are shown in the illustrated embodiment as nested tori disposed within an expansion chamber  648 , although other configurations are also within the scope of the invention. Structural support for the combustion chamber is provided with a hub  640  and key slots  644  for integrating with other components of the engine. 
         [0078]    Fluidic communication between the mixing chamber  612  and the burning chamber  608  is provided with perforations  632  in a wall that defines the mixing chamber  612 . Similarly, fluidic communication between the burning chamber  608  and the body expansion chamber  604  is provided with perforations  636  in a wall that defines the body expansion chamber  604 . Lower and upper sealing lips  616  and  620  enable a sealed connection to be established for a combustion-gas supply passage  664  from the expansion chamber  648  to the rotary head. 
         [0079]    The amount of fuel provided to the mixing chamber  612  from fuel injectors  652  may be controlled with a variety of methods known to those of skill in the art. Similarly, the amount of oxidizer provided to the mixing chamber may be controlled by valves  656  from the air pump along the supply passage  624 . Ignition of the fuel-oxidizer mixture is achieved within the burning chamber  608  with a spanker or glow rod  628 . An air valve  660  to the atmosphere may advantageously used to provide an alternative oxidizer supply to initiate combustion. Specifically, in embodiments where the engine is used to drive a vehicle, air valve  660  may be open when the acceleration pedal is not pressed, allowing air to be pumped to provide braking pressure, or to leave the vehicle running when no brake is desired. In this way, air in the combustion chamber is prepared for the next pressing of the acceleration pedal by providing air to burn the first fuel injected, starting the cycle and rotating the air compressor to pump air into the combustion chamber. The size of the combustion chamber is accordingly appropriate to provide sufficient oxidizer to begin a new working cycle. 
         [0080]    Still another embodiment for the combustion chamber, suitable for the engine described in connection with  FIGS. 8A-8C  is illustrated with  FIGS. 12A-12C . These drawings provide front, isometric, and horizontal-plane longitudinal cross-sectional views. The basic operation of the combustion chamber is similar to that described for the other embodiments. 
         [0081]    The combustion chamber comprises an expansion chamber  704 , a burning chamber  708 , and a mixing chamber  712 , which are again provided in a nested configuration. This embodiment illustrates such nesting in a nontoroidal configuration. Fluidic communication between the different subchambers is provided with perforations, including the perforations  732  in the wall that defines the mixing chamber  712  so that there is fluidic communication with the burning chamber  708  and the perforations  736  in the wall that defines the body burning chamber  708  so that there is fluidic communication with the body expansion chamber  704 . Oxidizer is provided from the air pump through an air-supply passage  716  and fuel is provided with a fuel injector  720  so that the mixture may be ignited by a sparker or glow rod  724 . An air valve  740  permits air to be sealed within the combustion chamber when it is burning fuel, and will open when not burning fuel and a braking function is not desired. This valve may also be open when an acceleration pedal is not actuated and the brake pedal is actuated, allowing braking by restricting the flow of exhaust gas with the valve on the exhaust ducts. 
         [0082]    Additional air passages may be provided to effect fluidic communication with other parts of the engine. For example, to accommodate the auxiliary rotary device  436  of the engine described in connection with  FIGS. 8A-8C , an secondary air supply passage  728  may be provided in fluidic communication with the auxiliary rotary device  436 . In addition, air passages  744  and  748  provide for the transfer of air with the two sides of the rotary head  408 . 
       Rotary Head 
       [0083]    Different configurations may also be used for the rotary head for the different engine configurations.  FIGS. 13A-13E  illustrate one embodiment of a rotary head that may be used with the dual-rotation engine described in connection with  FIGS. 1A-1C . The different views include a side view, a front view, an isometric view, a longitudinal cross-sectional view at a position for combustion-gas intake slots, and a transverse cross-sectional view. 
         [0084]    In these drawings; the rotary head is defined by a body  804  lined with a layer of thermally insulative material  808  such as aluminized fabric or fiberglass. Combustion gas that drives the rotary head is taken into an expansion chamber  856  via a combustion-gas intake slot  812  and released from the expansion chamber  856  via an exhaust slot  852  that communicates with an exhaust passage  816 . Slots  860  are provided within walls of a hub defined by hub sides  832  and  844  to allow air to circulate for cooling. Coupling with other components of the engine is achieved with sealing lips  820  and  824 , as well as sealing lip  836 , which permits mating with a corresponding sealing lip on the rotary drum. Support  840  and key slot  848  permit mating with the combustion chamber and shaft. 
         [0085]    Combustion gases generated by the combustion chamber are directed to the rotary head under pressure, having nowhere to escape but through the intake slot  812 , reaching the expansion chamber  856 . Here, the gases under pressure activate rotation of the rotary head. Combustion gases are exhausted from the rotary head through the exhaust slots  852 , which are positioned on opposite sides of the expansion chamber  856  from the intake slot  812 , to the exhaust passage  816 . Before one plate reaches an exhaust slot  812 , another plate is sealing the intake slot  812  so that combustion gases are not exhausted from the rotary head without the production of work. 
         [0086]    Another embodiment for the rotary head is illustrated with  FIGS. 14A-14G . This embodiment is especially suitable for incorporation into the engine described in connection with  FIGS. 5A-5C . The basic structure is similar to that described in connection with  FIGS. 13A-13E .  FIGS. 14A-14E  provide a side view, a front view, an isometric view, a longitudinal cross-sectional view at a position for combustion-gas intake slots, and a transverse cross-sectional view. 
         [0087]    The rotary head comprises a body  904  lined with a thermal insulator  908  such as aluminized fabric or fiberglass. In this embodiment, combustion gases are directed through an intake slot  912  to an expansion chamber  948  where combustion gas may be exhausted through an exhaust slot  944  to an exhaust passage  916  after generating plate rotation to produce work. A hub defined by structures  934  and  936  includes slots  952  to provide for air circulation to allow cooling. Sealing with other parts of the engine, including the combustion chamber, is achieved with structural support  932  and key slot  940 . 
         [0088]      FIG. 14F  shows a detail view to illustrate a labyrinthine nontouching seal for sealing with an exhaust manifold, illustrating structure for the upper and lower sealing lips  920  and  924  in detail.  FIG. 14G  provides a detail view to illustrate a labyrinthine nontouching seal for sealing with a drum head, showing in detail the sealing lip  928  that mates with a drum sealing lip. 
         [0089]    A further embodiment for a rotary head suitable for use with the engine described in connection with  FIGS. 6A-6C  is illustrated with  FIGS. 15A-15F . Left, front, isometric, right, vertical-plane longitudinal cross-sectional, and transverse cross-sectional views are provided with  FIGS. 15A-15F . 
         [0090]    The rotary head is defined by a body  1004  within which a layer of thermal insulation  1008  is provided. A rigidity rib  1012  provides structural integrity to the rotary head and also includes a layer of thermal insulation  1016 . While the shape of the rotary head is shown in these drawings to be generally cylindrical, this is not a requirement of the invention and in other embodiments, the rotary head may have a generally spherical, generally ellipsoidal, or other shape. Sealing of the rotary head within the engine is achieved in a manner similar to that described with the other embodiments. For example, sealing lips  1028  and  1036  around the intake passage  1032  mesh with corresponding sealing structures on the combustion chamber, specifically sealing lips  616  and  620  described above. Key slots  1056  and hub structures  1024  and  1052  enable coupling of the rotary head to other components of the engine. Slots  1072  in the hub walls are for cooling. 
         [0091]    Combustion gases are pushed through the intake passage  1032  and intake slots  1060  into expansion chambers  1068 . Here, the pressure of the combustion gases pushes the plates of the engine and when they reach the exhaust slots  1064 , they are exhausted to the atmosphere through air passages  1044 . 
         [0092]    In addition to sealing the rotary head to the combustion chamber with sealing lips  1028  and  1036 , sealing is achieved with other labyrinthine parts illustrated in the detail of  FIG. 15G . Sealing lip  1020  enables sealing with the drum, and lips  1040  and  1048  provide lips for the exhaust passage. 
         [0093]    Still another embodiment of the rotary head suitable for use with the engine described in connection with  FIGS. 8A-8C  is illustrated with  FIGS. 16A-16F . They provided left, front, isometric, right, horizontal-plane longitudinal cross-sectional, and transverse cross-sectional views of the rotary head. 
         [0094]    The rotary head has a body  1104  with a hub having sides  1112  and  1168 . Sealing lips  1108  provide for mating with the drum. The rotary head has intake or exhaust passages  1120  and  1132  on both sides of the hub, and has intake or exhaust passage tubes  1128  and  1144  on both sides of the hub. Each of these structures may include lips lower and upper lips  1116  and  1124  or lower and upper lips  1136  and  1140  to allow for sealing with other components of the engine. Key slot  1152  allows for coupling of the rotary head to other structures of the engine. 
         [0095]    As will be appreciated by those of skill in the art, the flow direction through the rotary head may be in either direction so that each of these structures may be used either for intake or exhaust depending on the operational configuration of the engine. That is, combustion gases from the combustion chamber may supply the rotary head on either side, with the exhaust being on the opposite side, enabling the direction of rotation of the rotary head to be changed. In embodiments where the engine is comprised by a vehicle, this allows the direction of motion of the vehicle to be changed in a corresponding way. 
         [0096]    The combustion gases are provided to an expansion chamber  1148  through intake or exhaust slots  1160  and  1164  and operation of the rotary head using pressure from the combustion gases to generate rotation is similar to that described above. Slots  1156  allow for air circulation to provide cooling. 
       Plates and Sliders 
       [0097]      FIGS. 17A-17C  provide side, isometric, and front views of plates and sliders that may be used with the dual-rotation engines described in connection with  FIGS. 1A-4B  and  FIGS. 5A-5C . They provide side, isometric, and front views, with each plate  1204  being coupled with a plate sliding rod  1212  through a plate link  1208 . Rollers  1220  are coupled to roller shafts  1216  that are mechanically coupled with the plate sliding rod  1212 . 
         [0098]    The cams described above operate as closed-track cams, ensuring that the rollers  1220  follow the profile of the cams at high rotation rates. Since the cams rotate together with the rotary head, the relative position of the plates  1204  is maintained in a desirable position relative to the rotary-head expansion chamber to prevent the release of combustion gases under pressure. In some embodiments, particularly those where the rotation rate of the rotary head is very high, it is preferable to substitute the roller arrangement shown in  FIG. 17C  with a slider arrangement as shown in  FIGS. 19A-C  below. 
         [0099]    An arrangement suitable for use with the engine described in connection with  FIGS. 6A-6C  is shown in  FIGS. 18A-18E .  FIGS. 18A-18C  provide isometric, front, and side views in which each plate  1304  is coupled with a plate sliding rod  1312  through an elastic link  1308  and a rigid link  1324 . Rollers  1316  are coupled to roller shafts  1320  that are mechanically coupled with the plate sliding rod  1312 . 
         [0100]      FIG. 18D  provides a transverse cross-sectional view of a sliding rod to illustrate the presence of insulation  1328 . Generally, all parts that come into contact with hot combustion gases may preferably be insulated to keep heat from being lost to the atmosphere before the production of work. 
         [0101]      FIG. 18E  provides a detail of the plate to illustrate the sealing grooves  1332 . Grooves similar to these may be used with the various seals described above and below. The dynamic sealing is performed with labyrinthine lips that mesh together in various configurations. The grooves  1332  are generally provided in a direction perpendicular to the relative flow of escaping combustion gases under pressure, the effect of which is to make the flow of any escaping combustion gases turbulent so that loss of gas is reduced, thereby increasing the efficiency and power of the engine. Generally, the plates and other parts that have relative movement within the engine are not provided in direct contact. Rather, direct contact is only provided at the plate sliding rods where lubrication and cooling are provided. 
         [0102]    A further illustration is provided with  FIGS. 19A-19C , which show isometric, side, and front views of plates and sliders suitable for use with the engine described in connection with  FIGS. 8A-8C . In these embodiments, each plate  1404  is coupled with a plate sliding rod  1412  through an elastic link  1408  and a rigid link  1424 . Sliders  1416  are provided instead of rollers in the other embodiments and, as mentioned above, sliders may be substituted for rollers in those other embodiments, particularly when the engine is to be used in applications having a high rotational speed. The sliders are coupled mechanically to the plate sliding rods  1412  through slider shafts  1420 . 
       Drum 
       [0103]    The drum may also take different configurations in different embodiments, some of which include a rotary drum and others of which include a stationary drum. An example of a rotary drum is shown with  FIGS. 20A-20E . This configuration is especially suitable for the dual-rotation embodiment described in connection with  FIGS. 1A-4B  and the views in the drawing provide front, side, isometric, transverse cross-sectional, and vertical-plane longitudinal cross-sectional views. 
         [0104]    The drum has a body  1504  lined with thermal insulation  1508  within which rigid support rings  1512  define the structure of the drum. Although three rings are shown, the invention is not limited by a particular number of rings and the rotary drum may comprise a different number in alternative embodiments. The body  1504  itself may be fabricated as a single piece and include a shaft  1540 . The rings increase the rigidity and strength of the drum and also provide support and guidance for the plates. Rotating-drum slider boxes  1524  and  1536  are disposed outside the rotary drum body  1504 , simplifying assembly of the engine, especially of the plates. Slider bushings  1520  may have a conical surface, as discussed in greater detail in connection with  FIGS. 29A-29B . 
         [0105]    Sealing lips  1532  provide for coupling of the rotary drum with the rotary head, such as in embodiments where sealing lips  1532  of the rotary drum shown in  FIGS. 20A-20E  mesh with sealing lips  836  of the rotary head shown in  FIGS. 13A-13E . Slots  1516  are shape and configured to receive the plates and slots  1544  in walls of the body  1504  may be provided for air circulation. Bushing bores  1528  support the shaft. 
         [0106]    Another embodiment of the rotary drum suitable for use with the dual-rotation engine described in connection with  FIGS. 5A-5C  is illustrated with  FIGS. 21A-21E . These drawings provide front, side, isometric, transverse cross-sectional, and vertical-plane longitudinal cross-sectional views of the rotary drum. 
         [0107]    Similarly to the previous embodiment, the rotary drum is defined by a body  1604  lined with insulation  1608  and including a plurality of rings  1612  to provide rigid support. The body  1604  includes a shaft  1640 . Rotating-drum slider boxes  1624  and  1636  are disposed outside the body  1604 , and slider bushings  1620  may have a conical shape Sealing lips  1632  provide for sealing of the rotary drum to the rotary head. Plate slots  1616  are disposed and shaped to receive the plates and slots  1644  in wall of the body  1604  are provided for air circulation. Bushing bores  1528  support the shaft. This embodiment differs from the previous embodiment primarily in the configuration of the shaft  1640 . 
         [0108]    The embodiment for the stationary drum illustrated with  FIGS. 22A-22E  is suitable for use with the single-rotation engines described herein, i.e. those described in connection with  FIGS. 6A-6C  and  8 A- 8 C. The drawings provide front, side, isometric, transverse cross-sectional, and vertical-plane longitudinal cross-sectional views. 
         [0109]    The stationary drum comprises a plurality of nested concentric cylinders, shown in the drawings as including an outer cylinder  1704 , an intermediate cylinder  1708 , and an inner cylinder  1712 . Between the inner and intermediate cylinders  1708  and  1712 , slider bushing bodies  1720  are disposed. Inside the inner cylinder  1712 , a lubricant such as oil may be provided. On the side wails between the outer and intermediate cylinders  1704  and  1708 , a plurality of holes  1748  may be provided for air to circulate and thereby provide cooling. In addition, between the intermediate and inner cylinders  1708  and  1712 , a plurality of cooling fins  1716  may be provided from one side wall  1732  to the other  1736  so that air circulates between the resulting passages to draw heat away from the drum. This functions in a manner similar to a radiator incorporated within the drum. In an alternative embodiment, it an evaporator may additionally be provided within the drum between the intermediate and inner cylinders  1708  and  1712  to act similar to an air-conditioning system. In such an embodiment, high cooling power can thereby be provided to the drum. 
         [0110]    The two sides of a hub are denoted with reference numbers  1740  and  1744 . One or more rigidity rings  1728  may be included to increase the rigidity of the outer cylinder  1704  A key slot  1756  is used to hold the drum stationary, and may be coupled with the combustion chamber hub  640  through key slot  644 . Sealing lips  1752  may be used to seal the drum to the rotary head. 
       Cam 
       [0111]      FIGS. 23A-23C  provide side, vertical-plane longitudinal cross-sectional, and transverse cross-sectional views of a closed-track cam as may be employed in the various embodiments. The cam comprises an upper lip  1804 , a closed track  1808 , a cam profile  1812 , and a key slot  1816 . The cam profile  1812  comprises a plurality of lobes, shown in the illustration as having two lobes, although a single lobe or a number of lobes greater than two may be provided in alternative embodiments. Generally, the lobes are uniformly distributed about the perimeter of the cam profile  1812  and are equal in number and distribution to the expansion chambers comprised by the rotary head. This ensures that the stress in the drum and head are provided as primarily or pure torque with little or no radial force when the number of cam lobes and expansion chambers in the rotary head is two or more. Radial forces that do exist arise entirely or almost entirely from the weight of the engine and are accordingly small. 
       Air Accumulator 
       [0112]    Embodiments of the air accumulator for the dual-rotation engines are illustrated with  FIGS. 24A-24D  and  25 A- 25 D. An air accumulator suitable for use with the dual-rotation engine described in connection with  FIGS. 1A-4B  is shown with side, front, isometric, and vertical-plane longitudinal cross-sectional views in  FIGS. 24A-24D . The air accumulator is defined by a body  1904  that is lined with insulation  1908 . A hub  1912  has a plurality of holes  1916  for the flow of an air supply from the air pump. Air supply tubes  1920  provide oxidizer to the combustion chamber, regulated by air supply valves  1924 . 
         [0113]    The embodiment of  FIGS. 25A-25D , which show side, front, isometric, and vertical-plane cross-sectional views, is suitable for use with the dual-rotation engine described in connection with  FIGS. 5A-5C . It has a body  2004  lined with insulation  2008  and a hub  2012  coupled with a rotary union  2016  to receive air from the air pump. A one-way check valve  2028  coupled with the rotary union  2016  ensures airflow in the desired direction. While shown explicitly in this embodiment, such check valves may also be used in the embodiment of  FIGS. 24A-24D , even though not shown in such an illustration. Flow to the combustion chamber is provided by air supply tubes  2020  and controlled by air supply valves  2024 . 
         [0114]    A suitable air pressure in the air accumulator in these embodiments is about 150 PSI, and a suitable maximum pressure in the engine in different embodiments is about 100 PSI. Because the pressure is relatively low, combustion temperatures are also relatively low, making it possible to limit the combustion temperature to less than 1400° C. even without cooling. With the insulation that has been described above, heat losses are minimized and the efficiency of the engines are increased. 
       Exhaust and Intake Manifolds 
       [0115]    An example of an exhaust manifold that may be used in embodiments of the invention is shown in  FIGS. 26A-26D . This embodiment is particularly suitable for use with the dual-rotation engine of  FIGS. 1A-4B . The exhaust manifold has a body  2116  that includes a collector ring  2112  for collecting gases after they have been discharged through the exhaust passage  816  of the rotary head  108  (see  FIGS. 13A-13E ). They may be exhausted to the atmosphere through an exhaust tube  2108 , the flow through which is controlled by an air valve  2104 . When the engine is comprised by a vehicle, the air valve  2104  may aid stopping the vehicle since it may be closed to increase exhaust pressure when the acceleration pedal is not pressed. This may be performed in combination with opening a valve in the combustion chamber to let atmospheric air in so that it may be pumped and thereby increase pressure on the exhaust to enhance the braking power. 
         [0116]    The detail of  FIG. 26D  shows the upper and lower sealing lips  2120  and  2124  used to seal the exhaust manifold with the rotary head. 
         [0117]      FIGS. 27A-27C  show side, isometric, and horizontal-plane longitudinal cross sectional views of an alternative manifold that may be used as an exhaust manifold for the dual-rotation engine described in connection with  FIGS. 5A-5C  or for the engine described in connection with  FIGS. 6A-6C  and  7 A- 7 B, or that may be used as an exhaust or intake manifold for the engine described in connection with  FIGS. 8A-8C . 
         [0118]    The body  2216  includes an exhaust manifold collector ring  2212  for collecting gases after they have been discharged through an exhaust passage of the rotary head as appropriate for the embodiment. Flow through exhaust tube  2208  is controlled with a valve  2204 , thereby adjusting exhaust gases directed to the turbine. The remainder of the exhaust gases are evacuated through an auxiliary exhaust tube  2224  directly to the atmosphere. 
         [0119]    Similar to the previous embodiment, the valve  2204  may be used for braking of a vehicle that comprises the engine in combination with opening of a valve comprised by the combustion chamber by increasing exhaust pressure when the acceleration pedal is not pressed and the brake pedal is pressed. This process prepares the combustion chamber for when the acceleration pedal is next pressed by having air to burn the injected fuel and thereby start the cycle by rotating the air compressor to pump air into the combustion chamber. 
         [0120]    The detail view of  FIG. 27D  illustrates the upper and lower sealing lips  2220  and  2228  used to seal the manifold with the rotary head. 
       Shaft 
       [0121]    An illustration of a shaft that may be used in the embodiments of  FIGS. 1A-1C  to  4 A- 4 B is illustrated with  FIGS. 28A-28C , which provide isometric, front, and horizontal-plane longitudinal cross-sectional views. The shaft has a body  2316  with key slots  2304 . Air from the air pump to the air accumulator may be supplied through a central bore  2312  of the shaft and through radial air-supply bores  2308 . In the other embodiments, the shaft is similar, but without holes. 
       Seals and Bushings 
       [0122]    Sliding bushings, which are used in various embodiments as described above, are illustrated in  FIGS. 29A and 29B , which show front and longitudinal cross-sectional views. The bushing body  1520  has a conical bore  1522  at each end that is inclined at an angle y. The middle portion is cylindrical. This allows the motion of sliding rods of the plates to create a wedge action with oil, thereby increasing the oil pressure to enhance lubrication and reduce wear on the sliding rod and bushing. 
         [0123]      FIGS. 30A and 30B  and  FIGS. 31A and 31B  illustrate compact-seal assemblies used to seal the sliding rods of the plates. In the embodiment of  FIGS. 30A and 30B , which provide front and transverse cross-sectional views, the sliding bushings  1721  are disposed within a sliding-bushing body  1720 , with bores  1722  provided to allow oil to enter the bushing body  1720  and lubricate the bushings  1721 . Plates  1723  move within the body  1720 , with sealing being effected by a disk-like sealing spring  1725 . In the alternative illustrate of  FIGS. 31A and 31B , which also provide front and transverse cross-sectional views, rubber and steel disks  1726  act to provide the sealing. Each of these provides a strong seal to minimize leaks and withstand high pressures. 
         [0124]      FIGS. 32A-32C  provide a detail of the structure of the disk-like sealing spring  1725 . An upper clamping ring  2404  is tight against the sliding bushing body  1720  and a bottom clamping ring  2412  is clamped on the slider rod of the plates. The spring body  2408  provides the necessary deformation to allow the plates to move. 
         [0125]      FIGS. 33A-33C  similarly provide a detail of the structure of the rubber and steel disks arrangement  1726 . An upper metal ring  2504  is tight against the sliding bushing body  1720  and a lower metal ring  2516  has conical machining  2520  that comes in contact with a mating conical surface of the sliding rod of the plates, thereby providing the sealing. In between the metal rings are a plurality of rubber rings  2508  interdigitated between intermediate metal rings  2512 . The rubber rings are made from a porous rubber to provide for deformation that allows the plates to move. 
         [0126]    These structures are provided by way of example. As will be appreciated by those of skill in the art, still other sealing structures may be used in further alternative embodiments. 
       Drive System 
       [0127]      FIGS. 34-36  provide examples of drive systems that may be configured for vehicles that comprise an internal combustion engine as described herein. The drawings are provided schematically to illustrate certain features. 
         [0128]      FIG. 34  provides a representation of a vehicle drive system using a rotary continuous internal combustion engine  2612  as described herein; any of the engine structures described above may be used. Power is transmitted through torque converters  2608  and planetary reducers  2604  to the wheels  2616 . The torque converters  2608  preferably include centrifugal lockup so that after a certain revolution speed, the torque is locked and there is no further power loss. In this way, transmitted torque is smooth and increased as necessary by the planetary reducers  2604 . The torque can also be transmitted directly to the planetary reducers  2604  in alternative embodiments, or even directly to the wheels  2616 . 
         [0129]    In the alternative arrangement illustrated in  FIG. 35 , the same combustion chamber  2704  supplies a plurality of rotary devices  2712 , with a stationary drum, to provide torque to the wheels  2716  through planetary reducers  2708 . This arrangement allows the drive system to act as a differential when the vehicle takes a curve. 
         [0130]    The further embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 36  is appropriate for a four-wheel-drive vehicle. A main continuous internal combustion engine  2816  actuates a main compressor  2812  that supplies air to the main rotary continuous internal combustion engine  2816  and to an air manifold  2820  that supplies air to each of four rotary devices  2808 , which provide torque to the wheels  2824  through planetary reducers  2804 . This is a simple and efficient way to transmit power to all of the wheels, and acts similarly to a universal differential for the wheels. 
         [0131]    Having described several embodiments, it will be recognized by those of skill in the art that various modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the above description should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention, which is defined in the following claims.