Patent ID: 7500462

Claim:
An internal combustion engine, comprising: a housing defining one or more combustion chambers and a cavity in which a wheel is mounted for rotation on a crankshaft; one or more gates, each such gate mounted for rotation about a pivot point within one of said combustion chambers; and one or more gate control assemblies, each such gate control assembly operably connecting a respective gate to the wheel, such that as the wheel rotates, movement of the gate control assemblies controls the rotation of the gates within the respective combustion chambers; wherein a face of said wheel defines a generally elliptical cam-cutout, and wherein each gate control assembly includes a control shaft which is connected to a respective gate and defines the pivot point for rotation of the gate, and a control arm having a first end that is integral with or attached to the control shaft and a second end that engages said elliptical cam-cutout; wherein, as the wheel rotates, a fuel/air mixture is drawn into one of said combustion chambers, the fuel/air mixture then being compressed by the rotation of the gate within said combustion chamber, the fuel/air mixture then being ignited, causing a rapid expansion of combustion gases and imparting a force on the gate, and thus the wheel, with the gate then rotating to minimize the volume of the combustion chamber and forcing the combustion gases through an exhaust port.