Rotary engine with rotary power heads

A rotary engine includes a casing having a large circular boring, a small circular boring, whereby the small circular boring interconnects with the large circular boring. A piston rotor is carried in a rotating manner within the large circular boring in the casing. A power head, ported to pass exhaust gases thru it's hollow center shaft, is carried in a rotating manner within the small circular boring in the casing. The piston rotor and the power head are meshed together to properly rotate during operation, with the piston rotor rotating counterclockwise and the power head rotating clockwise. A second powerhead can also be used.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a rotating internal combustion engine, and more particularly, a rotary engine.

The ROTARY ENGINE WITH ROTARY POWER HEADS is a device designed to convert the heat energy stored in a fuel into mechanical energy through a process of combustion. The present invention provides an inexpensive, high torque, prime mover for everything from weed eaters to high performance aircraft. The process is one of pure rotation, it has no reciprocating parts, and is of a simple construction. This engine can be used to great advantage in any application that can be or is powered by conventional reciprocating engines and many turbines. The ROTARY ENGINE inherently supercharges and has perfect scavenging of exhaust gases. The ROTARY ENGINE combines the high-speed capabilities of turbines with the positive displacement character of reciprocating engines.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Other types of engines with similar capabilities have to be constructed from stronger, more expensive materials. These engines contain many more moving parts, which have to be machined with much greater difficulty and associated tooling expense. The weight and bulk of the other engines can make them unacceptable or undesirable for some applications. A more efficient alternative is needed.

Numerous innovations for rotary displacement engines have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.

A FIRST EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,144,004, issued on Mar. 13, 1979, to Edwards teaches a positive displacement engine utilizing interlocking vaned rotors and providing for the virtually complete exclusion of spent vapors following the expansion cycle.

A SECOND EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,219, issued on Nov. 8, 1994, to Paul et al. teaches a rotary air compressor with a housing forming an epitrochoidal chamber in which a multilobed rotor with a ring gear eccentrically rotates on an internal central gear in the housing, the rotor dividing the chamber into multiple sub-chambers of changing volume as the rotor rotates, the chamber having intake ports of variable size opening to change the quantity of gas that is compressible and outlet ports having spring biased plunger valves to prevent flow of discharged compressed air back into the compressor.

A THIRD EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,142,758, issued on Nov. 7, 2000, to Taggett teaches a rotary positive displacement engine that includes one or more power rotors, which are acted upon by a pressurized charge of gas, such as steam, and an annular barrier rotor geared for synchronous rotation with the power rotors. The rotors rotate within intersecting cylindrical bores in the engine housing. The power rotors have cylindrical outer surfaces from which opposed vanes extend which are acted upon by the powering charge. The barrier rotor has an outer cylindrical surface, located in close proximity to the cylindrical surface of the power rotors, and ports for delivering the powering charge to the power rotors. The barrier rotor thus forms both a charge delivery mechanism and a barrier between the exhaust ports and the expanding gas powering the engine. Located within the barrier rotor is a stator which has ports in fluid communication with the ports in the barrier rotor when the respective ports are aligned. The location of the barrier rotor is adjustable with respect to the power rotors to permit the clearances between the confronting surfaces of the barrier rotor and the power rotors to be adjusted to extremely tight tolerances under operating conditions, which provides high efficiency operation with very low amounts of contamination of the exhaust gas.

A FOURTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent Office Publication No. 2002/0157636, published on Oct. 31, 2002, to Klassen teaches a two-dimensional rotary displacement device which comprises a housing, an outer rotor and at least one inner rotor. The axes of rotation of the outer rotor and the at least one inner rotor are parallel. A predefined geometrical relationship exists between the outer and inner rotors such that the scale of operative circumference (or diameter) from the inner rotor with respect to the outer rotor is preferably an integer value. In one embodiment, the device is used as a compressor that positively displaces a gas. In a modified embodiment, the device includes an exit port, which has a location that can be adjusted with respect to the housing and is adjustable so as to decrease the pressure differential between an exit chamber and the exit pressure. In another embodiment, the device can be used as an external combustion engine wherein compressed gas is discharged from an exit chamber to a combustion chamber where the volume of gas is increased due to heating of the gas and a portion of the discharge gas is directed to the rotor assembly and the remaining volume of gas can be used for a “hot blow” thrust or other use or directed to an additional rotor assembly to induce a torque to an output shaft attached to the outer rotor of one or both of the rotor assemblies. In another embodiment, a portion of the compressed gas can be used for “cold blow” thrust or other purpose instead of directing all of the compressed gas through the combustor.

A FIFTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent Office Publication No. 2006/0120895, published on Jun. 8, 2006, to Gardner teaches a rotary positive displacement engine includes a compressor housing having a compression chamber therein and a rotor housing having a rotor chamber therein. The rotor housing and compressor housing are in fluid communication and define a main housing having a first end plate, an opposing second end plate, and a center divider plate interposed therebetween, wherein the first and second end, and center divider plates are connected to the main housing. An output member is rotatably supported within the main housing and extends axially therefrom. A compressor is disposed within the compressor chamber and is mounted on the output member. An engine rotor is disposed within the rotor chamber and is mounted on the output member. An engine rotor working end portion defines a combustion chamber, wherein fuel is ignited to rotate the engine rotor, which, in turn, rotates the output shaft.

It is apparent now that numerous innovations for rotary displacement engines have been provided in the prior art that are adequate for various purposes. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they would be inferior to the rotary engine for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

AN OBJECT of the rotary engine is to provide a rotary engine that avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.

ANOTHER OBJECT of the rotary is to provide a high torque rotary engine that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

STILL ANOTHER OBJECT of the rotary engine is to provide a rotary engine that is simple to use and maintain.

BRIEFLY STATED, yet another object of the present invention is to provide a rotary engine which comprises a casing having a large circular boring and a small circular boring whereby the small circular boring interconnects with the large circular boring. A piston rotor rotates within the large circular boring in the casing. A power head rotates within the small circular boring in the casing. Proper rotational relationship between the piston rotor and the power head is maintained by a simple gear train external to this casing. The piston rotor rotates counterclockwise and the power head rotates clockwise.

REFERENCE NUMERALS UTILIZED IN THE DRAWING

110rotary engine112casing in rotary engine110114large circular boring in casing112116small circular boring in casing112118exhaust port in power head122120piston rotor in large circular boring114122power head in small circular boring ported for exhaust flow

126depression on circumference for intake and compression128

130compression chamber between depression126and large circular boring114132intake collector ring on piston rotor120134front plate on casing112136carburetor on front plate134137fresh air intake on carburetor136138fuel intake stem on carburetor136140solid state ignition system on casing112140.1plug/coil module140.2ignition reference sensor140.3battery/alternator140.4ignition switch140.5CDI module142Involute pumping gases from collector ring to intake/compression chamber130144gear train146bevel gear mounted on main rotor shaft148bevel gear mounted on power head shaft150shaft with bevel gears on each end

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention, as shown inFIGS. 1,2,3,4and5A is a rotary engine110which comprises a casing112having a large circular boring114, a small circular boring116, whereby the small circular boring116interconnects with the large circular boring114. A piston rotor120is carried in a rotating manner within the large circular boring114in the casing112. A power head122is carried in a rotating manner within the small circular boring116in the casing112. The piston rotor and the powerhead maintain a precise rotational relationship 1:1 ratio with each other thru a gear train mounted externally to this chamber (not shown) . The piston rotor rotates counter clockwise while the powerhead rotates clockwise.

A shaft124extends centrally from the piston rotor120for power output therefrom. The piston rotor120has a depression126formed on its circumference128to produce a compression chamber130between the depression126and the large circular boring114in the casing112. An involute142integrated on the piston rotor120can move collector ring gases into the compression chamber130.

As shown inFIG. 1, a front plate134is mounted on the casing112. A carburetor136having a fresh air intake137and a fuel intake138is affixed to the front plate134to supply a fuel air mixture into the collector ring132. A solid state ignition system140on the casing112ignites the compressed fuel air mixture at the appropriate time in the cycle, at or near top dead center. Exhaust gases travel through the power head122and exit out of the exhaust port118in the power head122. The casing112is fabricated of a suitable durable material, such as aluminum, steel or ceramic.

In review, the rotary engine110is a high efficiency, high torque, engine that is designed to be used for a wide variety of applications. The present invention comprises a casing112that is cast and/or machined of a suitable durable material, such as aluminum, steel, or ceramic. The casing112houses in a large circular boring114a piston rotor120and a power head122. A shaft124runs through the center of the piston rotor120for power output and upon which additional power packs may be mounted as dictated by power and design requirements. The power head122with the exhaust port118affects the desired compression ratio and is installed in a small circular boring116.

An involute142is cast into or otherwise integrated with the piston rotor120to help move the fuel air mixture from the collector ring132into the compression chamber130between a depression126on a circumference128of the piston rotor120and the large boring in the casing. A carburetor136having a fresh air intake137and a fuel intake138is mounted on a front plate134to provide a fuel air mixture.

A solid state ignition system140mounted on casing112ignites the fuel air mixture in the case of fuel requiring a spark. Compression ignition provides the igniting source for fuels of that type. The rotary engine can have the size of 8 inches (W), 10 inches (L) and 12 inches (H). The engine can rotate from 300 revolution per minutes (rpm) to 20,000 rpm. The volume's compression chamber can be 50 cc-5000 cc. The measurements and other specifications will vary widely depending on power and speed demands on the particular application.

As shown inFIG. 5B, the power head122with the exhaust port118and a powerhead shaft122.1.

As shown inFIG. 6, spark ignition is effected thru the use of a capacitor discharge ignition (CDI) solid state ignition because it is currently considered more satisfactory for high rpm engines. It consists of plug/coil module140.1installed in the area directly under the powerhead, a CDI ignition module140.5to provide the necessary voltage140, an ignition reference sensor140.2mounted on the piston rotor shaft124to provide timing of the spark, a battery/alternator140.3to provide initial voltage and an ignition switch140.4to turn the system on and off.

As shown inFIG. 7A, the gear train144consist of a bevel gear146mounted and keyed to the main rotor shaft124, a similar bevel gear148mounted and keyed to the power head shaft, and a shaft with bevel gears150mounted on each end to mesh with the gears on the main rotor shaft124and the power head shaft122.1. This gear train, properly mounted on the rear case on the rotary engine will cause the piston rotor and the powerhead to maintain the proper angular relationship 1:1 ratio. The piston rotor and the power head maintain a precise rotational relationship 1:1 ratio with each other thru a gear train mounted externally to this chamber (not shown) . The piston rotor rotates counter clockwise while the power head rotates clockwise.

As shown inFIG. 7B, a gear train144(in phantom) mates the piston rotor shaft124and the power head122, so that they are timed to maintain the proper angular relationship 1:1 ratio. The piston rotor124and the power head122maintain a precise rotational relationship 1:1 ratio with each other thru a gear train mounted externally to this chamber. The piston rotor124rotates counter clockwise while the power head rotates clockwise.

As shown inFIGS. 8-9: the rotary engine herein described can be fabricated with multiple power heads122(first head116A/118A and second head116B/118B) (via 2 gear coupling146A,146B aligned in a same axis) in the casing with a single piston rotor shaft124. It can also be fabricated with multiple piston rotor/powerhead combinations on a common main shaft and powerhead shafts with a common gear train144A-144B. The piston rotor and the first power head maintain a precise rotational relationship 1:1 ratio with each other thru a gear train mounted externally to this chamber (not shown). The piston rotor rotates counter clockwise while the two power heads rotates clockwise.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodiments of a rotary engine, accordingly it is not limited to the details shown, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.