Patent ID: 6922998

Claim:
A heat engine for converting thermal energy into kinetic energy, comprising: a structure capable of rotating about a center axis; a non-rotating element, positioned within said structure and having a substantially smooth and circular outer surface, the center of said non-rotating element offset from said center axis and fixed in position relative to said center axis; a plurality of working chambers evenly distributed about the perimeter of said structure, each of said plurality of working chambers containing substantially equal amounts of working fluid; a plurality of cylinders, each of said plurality of cylinders in fluid communication with one of said plurality of working chambers, each of said plurality of cylinders radially positioned about said axis; a plurality of pistons, each of said plurality of pistons comprising a working end and a rolling end, each working end of said plurality of pistons in mechanical communication with one of said plurality of cylinders and each rolling end of said plurality of pistons biased against said non-rotating element's outer surface, wherein the application of heat energy to any of said plurality of working chambers will cause expansion of said working fluid, increasing the bias of said working chamber's corresponding piston against said non-rotating element and inducing said structure to rotate to reduce said bias.