Patent ID: 7055470

Claim:
An internal combustion engine comprising: a crank drive rotatably disposed within an engine housing, at least one double cylinder unit defined within the engine housing, the double cylinder unit comprising at least two individual cylinders, wherein the two individual cylinders share a common cylinder wall that separates the two individual cylinders within the double cylinder unit, a piston reciprocally movable within each individual cylinder, wherein each piston includes a piston head and the pistons are connected to the crank drive such the pistons reciprocate in the same direction within the individual cylinders, a cylinder space defined within each individual cylinder on the side of the piston head that is opposite of the crank drive, wherein common combustion chamber is arranged in the double cylinder unit so as to continuously communicate with the cylinder spaces, and at least one slot defined in the common cylinder wall, the at least one slot being arranged and constructed to permit communication between the cylinder spaces through the at least one slot at least when the pistons are located in their bottom dead center position, and the at least one slot being arranged and constructed to be blocked, such that the cylinder spaces do not communicate with each other through the at least one slot, at least when the pistons are located in their upper dead center position; and; three inlet valves and three outlet valves disposed such that at least one inlet valve and at least one outlet valve opens into the common combustion chamber.