Patent ID: 8763391

Claim:
A Stirling cycle machine comprising: at least one rocking drive mechanism comprising: a rocking beam having a rocker pivot; at least one cylinder; at least one piston, the piston housed within a respective cylinder whereby the piston is capable of substantially linearly reciprocating within the respective cylinder; and at least one coupling assembly having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end being connected to the piston and the distal end being connected to the rocking beam by an end pivot, whereby linear motion of the piston is converted to rotary motion of the rocking beam; a crankcase housing the rocking beam and housing a first portion of the coupling assembly; a crankshaft coupled to the rocking beam by way of a connecting rod, whereby the rotary motion of the rocking beam is transferred to the crankshaft; a working space housing the at least one cylinder, the at least one piston and a second portion of the coupling assembly; and an airlock space separating the crankcase and the working space for maintaining a pressure differential between the crankcase housing and the working space housing.