Bi-annulus rotary engine

An internal combustion engine is disclosed having valve means, ignition means, timing means and fuel distribution means configured for operation on a combustible mixture of fuel and air or other energy source. A rotor, consisting of loosely coupled rectangular segments, traverses a `figure 8` path within a rotor housing consisting of two overlapping hollow annuluses. The rotor, when contained in one of the annuluses, fully circumscribes that annulus. Traversal of one of the annuluses by the rotor results in intake of a fuel/air mixture, compression, ignition, power and exhaust cycles in successive revolutions. Traversal of the second annulus by the rotor transfers the orbital rotation of the rotor to a concentrically disposed power transfer shaft.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to rotary engines of the internal combustion type. 
The invention is characterized by a novel, simplistic, efficient and 
compact design. 
Rotary engines, in general, provide maximum torque for a much longer part 
of their operating cycle than their reciprocating counterparts. In view of 
the ever increasing consciousness of energy efficient devices, rotary 
engines are being given much more attention today than in the past. 
Prior art rotary combustion engines generally contain an irregularly shaped 
rotor enclosed within a mating housing. This irregular shape causes 
excessive unsymmetrical loading and wear at a few points and contributes 
to a rapid loss of efficiency. Additionally, they generally contain many 
movable components such as vanes, reciprocating sealing mechanisms, etc., 
which are susceptible to malfunctioning and also make the manufacture of 
the engines very costly. 
This invention does not incorporate the above undesirable characteristics 
which are common to prior art rotary engines.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring to FIG. 1, the engine of the present invention includes a 
cylinder housing 1 which encloses the operative elements of the engine. 
This housing includes a lower planar portion 2 and a parallel upper planar 
portion 3. Circular sidewalls 4/5 and 6/7 along with the lower and upper 
portions form the hollow annuluses 8 and 9. These annuluses will be 
referred to as the power transfer annulus and the non-power transfer 
annulus, respectively. They overlap to form a common chamber 10. 
The interior sidewall 5 of the power transfer annulus 8 contains a circular 
slot 11 around its circumference. This slot extends completely through 
this sidewall and is wide enough to accomodate a rotatable, concentrically 
disposed power transfer means 12 (e.g., a gear). 
An entry conduit means 19 provides non-combustion, atmospheric air entry to 
the power transfer annulus and is in spaced relationship with the common 
chamber 10. 
An exit conduit means 16 for withdrawing compressible, non-combustion air 
from the power transfer annulus is in spaced relationship with the common 
chamber 10. 
The non-power transfer annulus 9 contains a cylindrical 
compression/combustion chamber 14 recessed within its inner perimeter. 
This compression/combustion chamber is in spaced relationship with the 
common chamber 10 and contains fuel/air inlet means 15, exhaust means 13, 
ignition means 17 and a peripheral orifice 18 whereby a fuel/air mixture 
is compressibly forced from the non-power transfer annulus into the 
compression/combustion chamber. 
The present invention is also amenable to a Diesel-type operation wherein 
air is admitted through the fuel/air inlet means 15 and fuel is admitted 
directly into the compression/combustion chamber 14 through a fuel 
injector (instead of the ignition means 17 shown). 
FIG. 2 is a detailed drawing of the leading two segments, 20 and 21 
respectively, of the rotor. All of the rotor segments are the same size 
and contain one or more recessed cavities 23 along a common side of each 
rotor segment. The recessed cavities are in spaced relationship with the 
leading edge 22 and trailing edge 24 of each rotor segment. The recessed 
cavities are in cyclic communication and cooperation with the rotatable, 
concentrically disposed power transfer means 12. The leading and trailing 
edges of each rotor segment are parallel to each other and are parallel to 
a radial line, which bisects the rotor segment, drawn from the center of 
the annulus in which the rotor segment is positioned. 
Each rotor segment is coupled to the adjacent rotor segment via a movable 
rod 27 capped at either end with a spherical member 25. The spherical 
member and a portion of the rod are recessed in a chamber 26 within each 
rotor segment. The dimensions of both the rod/spherical member and chamber 
are such that the rod/spherical member move in a lateral direction whereby 
the adjacent edges of adjacent rotor segments are always in sealable 
contact with each other. 
FIG. 3 is a drawing of one of the rotor guide mechanisms used to guide the 
leading rotor segment from one annulus to the other, thereby insuring a 
`figure 8` path of the rotor. There is a rotor guide mechanism located on 
either side of the common chamber 10. Guide arm 29 is depressed by the 
leading rotor segment 20 when the rotor approaches said common chamber. 
Rotor guide 33, being in communication with guide arm 29 via yieldable 
expansion spring 34 and pivot arms 30, 31 and 32, is forced to swing into 
the common chamber 10 causing the rotor to enter the opposite annulus. 
It can be noted that although the accompanying drawings show annuluses 
which are rectangular in cross section and rotor segments which are 
rectangular hexahedrons (i.e., they are six sided and rectangular in cross 
section), the present invention will function in the same manner with 
these two elements using a plurality of shapes. 
FIGS. 4-7 show the various positions of the rotor during a full operating 
cycle. 
In FIG. 4 the fuel/air intake cycle has commenced. The leading rotor 
segment 20 has passed through the common chamber 10 where it has engaged 
the concentrically disposed, rotatable power transfer means 12 and is 
following a circular path in the power transfer annulus 8. Inlet conduit 
means 15 is open to admit a fuel/air mixture via induction means into the 
compression/combustion chamber 14 and the non-power transfer annulus 9. 
The exit conduit means 13 is closed. 
In FIG. 5 the compression of the fuel/air mixture in the non-power transfer 
annulus 9 has commenced. While advancing within the non-power transfer 
annulus, the rotor compresses the fuel/air mixture into the 
compression/combustion chamber 14 via the peripheral orifice 18. 
In FIG. 6 the power cycle has commenced. Ignition means 17 within the 
compression/combustion chamber 14 has ignited the compressed fuel/air 
mixture and the expansion of the ignited mixture forces the rotor through 
the non-power transfer annulus and into the power transfer annulus in the 
direction shown. In the power transfer annulus, the rotor transfers power 
to the rotatable, concentrically disposed power transfer means 12. 
In FIG. 7 the exhaust cycle has commenced. The exit conduit means 13 is 
open and the inlet conduit means 15 is closed. The rotor forces the 
exhaust fluid out of the non-power transfer annulus via peripheral orifice 
18 and the exit conduit means. The inlet conduit means 15 and the exit 
conduit means 13 are in cyclic communication and cooperation with the 
rotatable, concentrically disposed power transfer means 12. When the 
leading and trailing rotor segments are positioned within the common 
chamber 10, the leading edge 22 of the leading rotor segment and the 
trailing edge 28 of the last segment 35 maintain continuous, sealable 
contact. 
While in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings there has been 
shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it will be 
understood, of course, that minor changes may be made in details of 
construction as well as in the combination and arrangement of parts 
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.