Patent ID: 8371256

Claim:
An internal combustion engine comprising: a compressor cylinder having a bore, a valved inlet port, and a valved outlet port, said bore having a first piston slidably disposed therein, the first piston being operatively connected to a crankshaft; at least one power cylinder having a bore, a valved inlet port, and a valved outlet port, said bore having a second piston slidably disposed therein, the second piston being operatively connected to the crankshaft; an expander cylinder having a bore, a valved inlet port, and a valved outlet port, said bore having a third piston slidably disposed therein, the third piston being operatively connected to the crankshaft; said engine further comprising a camshaft operatively connected to said crankshaft sufficient to cause the valves present on said inlet ports and said outlet ports of said compressor cylinder and said expander cylinder to each undergo one open-closed cycle for every revolution of said crankshaft, and to cause said valves present on said inlet port and said outlet port of said at least one power cylinder to each undergo one open-closed cycle for every two revolutions of said crankshaft; said compressor cylinder draws gas through the intake port of said compressor cylinder and forces said gas through the outlet port of said compressor cylinder into said at least one power cylinder through the inlet port of said at least one power cylinder; said at least one power cylinder comprising four-stroke operation having only one power stroke and only one exhaust stroke every two revolutions of the crankshaft compresses said gas within the at least one power cylinder prior to ignition of said gas and forces exhaust gas resulting from said ignition through the outlet port of said at least one power cylinder into said expander cylinder through the inlet port of said expander cylinder; and said expander cylinder expands said exhaust gas within the expander cylinder and expels said exhaust gas through the outlet port of said expander cylinder.