Patent ID: 8800506

Claim:
An engine comprising: a cylinder defining an interior space of the cylinder; a first piston that reciprocates in the interior space of the cylinder, the first piston having a first end forming a first piston head; a first piston rod attached to the first piston at a second end of the first piston opposite the first end of the first piston, the first piston rod extending laterally beyond opposite sides of the cylinder; a second piston that reciprocates in the interior space of the cylinder, the second piston having a first end forming a second piston head; a second piston rod attached to the second piston at a second end of the second piston opposite the first end of the second piston, the second piston rod extending laterally beyond the opposite sides of the cylinder; a third piston having a third end forming a third piston head, the first piston rod being attached to the third piston at a second end of the third piston opposite the first end of the third piston; the first piston and the third piston being independently connected to the first piston rod by a first pin; a first connecting rod connected to the first piston rod and coupled to a first power output shaft; and a second connecting rod connected to the second piston rod and coupled to the first power output shaft, a third connecting rod connected to the first piston rod and coupled to a second power output shaft; and a fourth connecting rod connected to the second piston rod and coupled to the second power output shaft, wherein the first piston head and the second piston head define a combustion chamber in the cylinder between the first piston head and the second piston head, and wherein the first piston head and the second piston head move away from each other on a first power stroke of the first piston and a second power stroke of the second piston, and wherein the first power output shaft and the second power output shaft are on opposite sides of the first piston and the second piston.