Abstract:
A compression vapor engine which, being at its core a cylinder and piston, the latter attached to a rotary wheel, moves the piston to compress air, thereby heating it; introduces water to the compressed air, converting it from liquid to vapor, water to steam; and uses the expanding steam to move the piston reciprocally: all organized as a reciprocal cylinder-piston engine creating continuing rotary movement which can be made to do work.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATONS 
       [0001]    None 
       FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
       [0002]    None 
       SEQUENCE LISTING 
       [0003]    None 
       TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0004]    The present invention is related to steam engines, and to internal-combustion engines of the electric spark plug or other electrical ignition type, and to internal-combustion engines of the compression-ignition type, though it has no function or action of ignition or combustion. It is therefore related to CLASS D15, SUBCLASS 2, which is a non-defined “Steam type.” 
       BACKGOUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    It is written that when he was a young man, in 1873, Rudolf Diesel enrolled in mechanical engineering studies in Augsburg, Germany. One day, in the physics laboratory at the school, he was shown a device called a “pneumatic lighter.” It was a small cylinder, rather like a bicycle tire pump with a plunger. Its barrel was made of glass so one could see through it, and when the plunger pushed air through it, the air was greatly compressed and consequently acquired a substantial rise in temperature. The astounding aspect of the devise was that when the plunger was pushed, within the barrel of the device one saw, of a sudden, a hot and bright spark, probably from combustion of some dust material or such. The demonstration had a profound impact upon him. Much later he was to convert what he had learned from that experience into his idea of a “heat engine,” which would eventually result in his invention of the internal-combustion compression-ignition engine, ultimately called the “diesel” engine. 
         [0006]    Having read of that experience and the application of the principles of its operation to the diesel engine, I, too, was impressed, but I acquired other ideas from it. I saw the creation of heat with a structure of a cylinder and piston as a first step in the function of a machine: a devise to convert heat into mechanical motion. But I also saw that combustion was only one possible process in heat conversion for a machine. I saw a more basic second step, considering the structure and behavior of matter and energy from a more philosophical view. I thought a more direct and more economical conversion of heat to motion could be achieved by creating heat as a first step, but having that heat, rather than put fire to some fuel, facilitate a change of state of some matter in a simple action: from a liquid to a vapor, as from water to steam. Historically, steam was one of the early sources of energy for mechanical motion. I so acquired the idea of making as an invention the below described machine for converting water to steam, and using the steam thus created to effect mechanical motion to do work. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The purpose and objective of the invention is to, through the motion of a piston in a cylinder, intake air into the cylinder and compress it by the moving piston, whereby the temperature of the air is increased (the air occupying with the same amount of substance a much smaller volumetric space), then introducing a small amount of water into the cylinder, the heat of the compressed air being thereby transferred to the water and the water then being changed in state from liquid to vapor, water to steam. The steam then occupies an even greater volumetric space and exerts pressure on the piston, pushing it back in a reciprocal motion. This motion is then converted to a rotary motion in the invention mechanism, and the rotary motion produced may thereby be put to work. The invention proffers the benefits of a new “fuel” (water), very available and at low cost, for powering an engine, while it produces no combustion. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    This section is related to the included three sheets of drawings and the figures they present, and to the following section describing the structure and operation of the invention, in one preferred embodiment, as a four-stroke compression engine. 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a diagram showing the structure of the invention in the intake stroke, with the piston midway in its movement downward. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a diagram showing the structure of the invention in the power stroke with the piston midway in its movement downward. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a diagram showing the structure of the invention as seen from above, showing the head structure and a view of the valve positions related to the top of the piston. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart showing the structure of the movement of the “fuel” (water) to and from the supply tank, the engine proper, and its auxiliary components. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    One preferred embodiment of the invention is as the well known four-stroke engine, though a two-stroke engine serves as well as another acceptable embodiment of the invention. The invention has a structure much like that of a compression-ignition engine, a “diesel” engine, and its operation is also rather imitative of such an engine. The three sheets of drawings which form the base for this detailed description present four figures of the engine&#39;s structure. 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  shows the engine as the four-stroke embodiment, showing a sectional view of the engine seen from the front. The entire figure exhibits the three main areas of the engine. The central area is the core area of the engine, comprised of a cylinder block  6  enclosing a movable piston  8  in the “intake” stroke, the piston  8  midway in its motion downward. The upper area, known as the head, is the area where the operation of valves is performed and managed. The lower area, known as the crankcase area, is where the reciprocal, linear motion of the piston  8  is converted into rotary motion. 
         [0015]    The central area, the core area, is comprised principally of the cylinder block  6 , and this structure encloses the cylinder main chamber  7 A. The piston  8  moves up and down, in a reciprocal motion, in the cylinder main chamber  7 A. The reciprocal motion is captured by the piston  8  having fixed to it a piston pin  9 , to which in turn a connecting rod  10  is connected. The connecting rod  10  can be used to transfer the motion of the piston  8  to any item outside of the cylinder main chamber  7 A. 
         [0016]    The lower area, the crankcase area, is where the linear motion of the piston  8  is transferred to outside of the cylinder main chamber  7 A. In the crankcase area the piston&#39;s connecting rod  10  extends downward. The end of the connecting rod  10  has a cap  10 A mounted to it, and the connecting rod  10  and its cap  10 A allow it to be connected to a wheel pin  11 , located off-center on a wheel  12 . The said wheel pin  11  acts as one end of a lever, the fulcrum being at the wheel center or axel  13 , and the wheel  12  is made to revolve about the center  13 . The piston  8  moves in a linear motion reciprocally in the cylinder block  6 . The linear motion of the piston  8  in the cylinder  6  is converted to a rotary motion about the center or axel  13  of the rotatable wheel  12 . The up and down strokes of the piston  8  become thereby half turns of the rotary device. The axel  13  of the rotatable wheel  12  serves as the crankshaft  13  of the engine. The front and back of the engine are extended from the cylinder block  6  downward to provide a connected support between the cylinder block  6  and a bearing assembly that sustains the crankshaft  13 . The entire group of elements and connections serve to transform the linear motion of the piston  8  to a rotary motion of the crankshaft  13 . An enclosing structure bounds the area as the crankcase  14 , and a crankcase gasket  15  seals the connection of the crankcase  14  and its components to the central area of the engine. 
         [0017]    The upper area, the head area, is contained as an area separate from, though connected to, the central area. The base  17  of the structure enclosing the head area is separated from the central area by a head gasket  16 . The enclosing structure also has a top  18 , which, together with the base  17 , performs a part in the operation of the valves in the head area. And there are a number of supporting parts,  19 A 1 ,  19 A 2 ,  19 A 3 , and  19 A 4 , completing the head enclosure. The supporting part  19 A 4  serves another purpose to the operation of the engine by being open to the outside in a portion of it, thus serving as the intake port  20 A for admitting air from the outside to the engine in its intake stroke. 
         [0018]    There are other parts related to the head area which are located above or below the enclosed area. Leading the action is the camshaft  21 A and the cam  22 A. The camshaft  21 A is connected or geared to the crankshaft  13 , the principal take-off connection to the engine&#39;s motive power. 
         [0019]    The camshaft  21 A moves the wheel-like cam  22 A. The cam  22 A has one portion of its wheel-like form having a greater radius than the rest, its greatest radial portion being called the cam nose  23 A. When the cam  22 A turns, the nose  23 A pushes against a push lifter  24 A which pushes against a push rod  25 A. The push rod  25 A is guided upward through the enclosed portion of the head assembly. The push rod  25 A thereby rises through the base  17  to above the top  18  of the head assembly. 
         [0020]    The rising push rod  25 A raises in turn the push-up end  30 A 1  of the intake rocker arm  30 A 2 . The intake rocker arm  30 A 2  is supported by a pin  30 A 4 , a rotatable fulcrum which thereby mounts the intake rocker arm  30 A 2 . The rotating fulcrum  30 A 4  transfers the rising motion of the push-up end  30 A 1  to a descending force against the push-down end  30 A 3 . The intake rocker arm fulcrum  30 A 4  is fixed in its location by a fulcrum support  30 A 5 , its base  30 A 6  fixed to the top  18  of the head enclosure structure, 
         [0021]    In  FIG. 1 , the intake stroke, the intake valve  40 A 1  is open in its seat or valve port  40 A 2 . The intake valve stem  40 A 3  extends from the intake valve  40 A 1  upward through the base  17  and the top  18  of the enclosed head area to a valve controlling section. Just above the top  18 , in the valve controlling section, the intake valve stem  40 A 3  passes through a bottom stop guide  40 A 6 . Above the bottom stop guide  40 A 6  the intake valve stem  40 A 3  passes through an intake valve spring  40 A 4 . Above the intake valve spring  40 A 4  the intake valve stem passes through a top stop guide  40 A 5 , which is fixed to the intake valve stem  40 A 3 . The force of the intake rocker arm  30 A 2  and the push-down end  30 A 3  act to press the intake valve stem  40 A 3  downward against the intake valve spring  40 A 4 . This motion is guided by the top stop guide  40 A 5  and the bottom stop guide  40 A 6 , which restrict the motion of the intake valve stem  40 A 3  upward or downward, and control the opening and closing of the intake valve  40 A 1 . 
         [0022]    In the operation of the engine, the movement of the piston  8  in the operational process of the invention begins at what may be termed the “top” end of the cylinder main chamber  7 A. At the top end the cylinder is initially closed. Moving downward in the intake stroke, the piston  8  leaves the cylinder main chamber  7 A relatively empty. When the intake valve  40 A 1  is opened, air is allowed to enter, and is drawn into the cylinder main chamber  7 A from outside by the downward motion of the piston  8 , the air entering by way of the intake port  20 A, an opening in the right end panel  19 A 4 . Near the end of the intake stroke, the intake valve cam  22 A rotates, passes out of the nose  23 A area, and releases the pressure against the push lifter  24 A, allowing the intake valve spring  40 A 4  to close the intake valve  40 A 1 . 
         [0023]    A matching structure and function of the intake stroke exists as the fourth stroke, the “exhaust” stroke. In  FIG. 1  a cross section cut line at the level of the top of the base  17  of the enclosing structure of the head area indicates the location and view of  FIG. 3 , in which are shown the input, power, and exhaust head areas and the relations of their valves to the cylinder main chamber  7 A and to an “auxiliary” chamber  7 B. 
         [0024]    There is another opening at the top, shown in FIG,  2  and  FIG. 3 , which facilitates the location and operation of an “injector”  55 . During the intake the injector  55  will introduce a small amount of water into the auxiliary chamber  7 B. The timing of the opening of the intake valve  40 A 1  and the operation of the injector  55  is related to the stroke and its purpose in the intake of air in the intake operation and to the water being in the auxiliary chamber  7 B for later use in the “power” stroke, as an indirect injection of water to the cylinder main chamber  7 A. 
         [0025]    In the embodiment portrayed in the drawings there are a number of other parts and assemblies which are not portrayed, though they are important to the successful function of the engine. These are located outside of the engine proper, but are connected to the engine and are supplied their energy of operation from the output of the engine&#39;s motion. These include the assemblies transferring motion from the crankshaft  13  to the valve camshafts, as well as to the special camshaft which operates the injection pump  400  and the injector  55 , shown in  FIG. 4 . Central to supplying motive power to these other parts and assemblies is the crankshaft  13 . The crankshaft  13  has another important function in making the invention provide power to other machines to do work. The crankshaft  13  is connected at one end to a flywheel of some weight, outside the engine proper. The inertia of the flywheel&#39;s movement provides continued motion of the crankshaft  13  through the non-power strokes so that the continued motion of the crankshaft  13  may repeat the series of strokes. In that way the engine may have a continuous motion to power other machines that can do work. 
         [0026]    In the second stroke, the “compression” stroke, the air is compressed by the upward motion of the piston  8 , the air thus coming to occupy a much smaller volume of space at the top of the stroke, But just before the piston  8  reaches the top in the compression stroke, the intake valve  40 A 1  is closed and, at the appropriate moment, the power connection valve  40 B 1 , shown in  FIG. 2 , connecting the main chamber  7 A of the cylinder and the auxiliary chamber  7 B, is opened, and the compressed air is introduced to the water in the auxiliary chamber  7 B. The water then, acquiring heat from the compressed air, undergoes a change of state: from liquid to vapor, water to steam. There follows then the third stroke, the “power” stroke, wherein the piston  8  moves downward because of the steam pressure. 
         [0027]      FIG. 2  shows the engine in the third stroke, the “power” stroke, with the piston  8  again midway in motion downward. In  FIG. 2  a cross section cut line at a level above the base  17  of the enclosing structure of the head area and just below the auxiliary chamber&#39;s covering top  18 B indicates the location and view of  FIG. 3 . In  FIG. 2  one can see again the structure and supports forming the encasement of the head areas. The bottom  17  and the top  18  are the same here as noted in  FIG. 1 . So also are the left end panel  19 A 1  and the two panels  19 A 2  and  19 A 3  sustaining the central area and supporting the rocker arm assemblies. The right end panel  19 A 4  closes the right end of the head area. New in  FIG. 2  is the auxiliary chamber top  18 B, covering the auxiliary chamber  7 B, and the access location for the injector  55 . 
         [0028]    An alternative embodiment of the engine would be without the auxiliary chamber  7 B and would substitute the injector  55  for the power connection valve  40 B 1 , at that valve&#39;s location, This configuration would facilitate for the power stroke a direct injection alternative, water injected directly into cylinder main chamber  7 A, just before the power stroke. 
         [0029]    When the power stroke nears its end, the cam controlling the power connection valve  40 B 1 , or that controlling the injector  55 , would close its operation. 
         [0030]      FIG. 3  is a diagram showing the structure of the invention as seen from above, showing a view of the head structure related to the top of the piston  8  . Shown in  FIG. 3  are the various stroke areas and the relations of their valves to the cylinder main chamber  7 A. In the central area, the power stoke area, there is the power connection valve  40 B 1  and the injector  55 . The area of the head in which these two assemblies are located and sealed off is the cylinder auxiliary chamber  7 B. This is the chamber in which water was injected during the intake stroke of the engine. Also shown are the locations of the push rods  25 A,  25 B, and  25 C from the cam structures, which power the rocker arms and ultimately the related valves. 
         [0031]    In  FIG. 3 , as in  FIG. 2 , the panels extending from the front panel  19 A 5  to the back panel  19 A 6  are the same. These are the left end panel  19 A 1  and the two panels  19 A 2  and  19 A 3  sustaining the central area and supporting the rocker arm assemblies. In the right end panel  19 A 4  is the location of the intake port  20 A and the exhaust port  20 C. This panel also closes the right end of the auxiliary chamber  7 B.  FIG. 3  also shows the two side panels  19 B 1  and  19 B 2 , as viewed from above, closing the front  19 B 1  and back  19 B 2  of the auxiliary chamber  7 B. 
         [0032]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart showing the structure of the movement of the “fuel” (water) to and from the supply tank  100 , the engine proper  600 , and its auxiliary components. The movement of the water to and from the components of the invention as a whole is routed through a system of connecting tubes, hoses, pipes, conduits. The flow begins with the tank  100  which supplies water to the engine  600 . First the water must flow, in the tank, through a strainer  200  which prevents solids from entering the water flow in its distribution to outside the tank. What continues in the flow goes to a lift pump  300 , which gives it some pressure, albeit a relatively low pressure. This then flows to an injection pump  400 , and this assembly feeds the flow under a determined pressure to the injector  55 , located with the engine proper  600 . The injector  55  introduces a specific amount of water, under the determined pressure for injection, either directly or indirectly, to the engine in accordance with the embodiment of the invention used in the structure of the engine. What overflows the injection pump  400  in its action is routed on a return trip to the water supply tank  100 . The same occurs with the injector  55 , routing its overflow also on a return trip to the water supply tank  100 . The water injected to the main chamber  7 A of the cylinder, either as water in a direct injection or as steam in an indirection injection, is passed in the exhaust stoke, by way of the exhaust port  20 C, on a return trip as steam to a condenser  800 . There the steam is converted again to water for return to the water supply tank, replenishing the “fuel” supply of the engine.