Patent GB-1150311-A (GB)
Title: Combustion System.
Inventor: CLARKE JOHN MICHAEL
IPC: F02B53/00
Filed: 1965-03-23
Abstract: 1,150,311. Rotary internal combustion engines. MINISTER OF TECHNOLOGY. June 22, 1966 [March 23, 1965; Aug.19, 1965], Nos. 12339/65 and 35606/65. Heading F1F. A rotary I. C, engine comprises a housing formed by spaced apart circular plates 10, 11, Fig. 1, connected together by a circumferential row of pillars 12 and formed with inwardly directed annular flanges 13,14 co-operable with a disc member 5 having a hub 6 coupled to an output shaft 1 through balls 7 disposed one in each of pairs of axially-extending substantially semi-circular grooves 8, 9 whereby the disc member 5 is tilted relative to the housing and is arranged to precess to define a convergent - divergent passage circulating about the axis of the housing into which a gaseous mixture is introduced, compressed ignited and expanded. A ring member 15 mounted on the plate 10 is formed with an upstanding flange 17 having its circumferential inner face profiled to provide minimal clearance between it and the rotating tilting disc and is spaced radially outwardly of the flange 13 to provide an annular slot 16 with which co-operates a depending flange 18 of the disc member 5 having its outer circumferential surface profiled to provide minimal clearance between it and the slot 16 when the disc member is tilted to its maximum extent. The flanges 17, 18, annular member 15 and disc member 5 provide an openended space 19 which moves around the annular member 15 as the tilted disc rotates and is in communication with a space 20 connected to atmosphere by the spaces between the pillars 12 and with a space 21 connected by a port 22 to a combustible mixture supply. To start the engine an axially movable shaft 23 having a hollow end 24 enclosing the shaft 1 and carrying a taper roller bearing 27 inclined by an angle α to the common axis of the shafts is rotated so that the disc member 5 rolls around the contact surfaces of the flanges 13, 14 with the disc member precessing at the rate of the shaft 23 whilst rotating the shaft 1, to cause reactions P on the flanges which eventually reach a magnitude sufficient for the motion of the disc member 5 to be sustained when torque is applied to the shaft 1. (The geometry is such that the ratio of the speed of the shaft 23 to that of the shaft 1 is of the order of 200/1). The rolling motion imparted to the disc member 5 by the shaft 23 is now discontinued by axial movement of the shaft 23 to the dotted position shown and combustible gaseous mixture is introduced through the port 22. This mixture passes into the space 19 and is compressed as the disc member tilts downwards past the flange 17. The mixture is ignited by one of a plurality of igniter plugs (not shown) spaced around the flange 17 to set up a combustion front in step with the precession of the disc member if the diameter of the disc member and the precession rate are such that the point on the disc member nearest the ring member 15 is moving at high supersonic speed. A detonation wave also moves supersonically around the disc member in step with the precession. The pressure during expansion will be greater than during compression so that power can be derived to rotate the shaft 1 to do useful work. Finally as the disc member 5 moves away from the ring member 15 the products of combustion will flow into the space 20 and hence between the pillars 12 to atmosphere. The rate of propagation of the detonation wave may be as high as 4000 ft. /s. and it may be necessary to exercise some control over this speed. In a modification this is accomplished by forming the upper surface of the ring member 15 with a series of circumferentially spaced ridges 40, Fig. 6.