Patent ID: 7360521

Claim:
A reciprocating engine, comprising: a block forming a housing for a piston operating in a cylinder; and an assembly that converts the reciprocating motion of the piston into rotational motion, wherein the assembly includes: an interchanger unit having at least two ends with a pair of track rollers mounted at at least one end, the interchanger unit attached to a connecting rod by bearings allowing the interchanger unit to rotate relative to the connecting rod; a stationary cylindrical unit having opposing wave shaped races encircling the cylindrical unit's inside perimeter with slopes of about 45 degrees for the pair of track rollers to follow and to facilitate an up and down spiraling motion of the interchanger unit thereby converting the reciprocating motion of the interchanger unit into rotational motion while allowing the interchanger unit to continue rotating in the same direction; and a rotating carrier supported by bearings that supports the interchanger unit while rotating with the interchanger unit, keeps the pair of track rollers aligned and transfers the converted rotational motion to an output shaft.