Patent Document

RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application is a Continuation of PCT application serial number PCT/UA2004/000067, filed on Sep. 10, 2004, which in turn claims priority to Ukranian application serial number UA2003098472 filed on Sep. 15, 2003 and Ukranian application serial number UA20040806842 filed on Aug. 16, 2004, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention relates to volumetric-displacement rotary internal combustion engines and can be used for transport means, sports cars, and power-generating installations. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Known in the art are reciprocating internal combustion engines provided with pistons carrying out reciprocal motion inside cylinders, and an output crankshaft. 
   Also known in the art is a rotary internal combustion engine comprising a hollow torus-shaped working cylinder provided with a water jacket; a through continuous circular slot whose walls are symmetrically disposed relative to the central plane of the cylinder around the smallest-diameter surface thereof; an injector or a spark plug; arc-shaped extended intake and exhaust ports provided in the wall for intake of air or an air-fuel mixture and for exhaust of combustion gases; a circular housing symmetrically disposed relative to the central axis of the cylinder and provided with side walls, mounted in the working cylinder for displacement along the internal surface thereof; four pistons shaped to conform this surface and provided with compression and oil-scraper rings close to ends thereof (U.S. Pat. No. 4,026,249). In addition, this prior art engine is provided with an output shaft mounted for rotation within side walls of the housing about the central axis of the working cylinder and provided with a flywheel disposed symmetrically relative to the central plane of the cylinder; two bearing members disposed on both sides of the flywheel, each of said members comprising radially arranged ring and a disc-shaped C-wall provided with diametrically opposite slots and mounted on the output shaft for rotation thereabout. Two pistons of this engine are fastened in a diametrically opposite relationship on one ring, and two pistons, on the other ring, thereby forming inter-piston chambers between the pistons that are fastened on different bearing members. In such design, shape and size of the rings are chosen proceeding from the condition of their mounting inside the circular slot for tight contact between external surfaces of the rings and compression and oil-scraper rings, and for sealing the gaps between end faces of said rings, as well as between other end faces thereof and circular slot walls. This rotary engine is provided with a transmission gear joining the bearing members with the output shaft and comprising two toothed gearwheels in the form of external-mesh gearwheels that are fastened on the side walls of the housing, four satellite gears coupled with the flywheel, two of said satellite gears being in engagement with one toothed gearwheel and coupled with one bearing member, and two other gearwheels engaged with the other toothed gearwheel and coupled with the other bearing member. The pivot pin of each satellite gear connected with one bearing member is disposed between pivot pins of the satellite gears coupled with the other bearing member. In addition, the engine comprises two eccentric members provided with two main journals mounted for rotation inside flywheel openings, said openings being parallel to the flywheel axis and disposed in a diametrically opposite arrangement on the same circumference, and four crankpins disposed at the ends of the main journals in eccentric arrangement, each said crankpin being passed through one of the radial slots provided in the wall of one of the bearing members, and into the opening of one of the satellite gears. In this prior-art design of the rotary internal combustion engine, the ratio between diameters of satellite gears and toothed gearwheels is 1:2; the planes passing through the axes of main journals and crankpins of each pair of adjacent eccentric members intersect at an angle of 90°, and the distance between the crankpins in the areas of top and bottom dead centers is minimal. 
   In the above-described rotary engine, all the pistons are rotating in the same direction; in so doing, adjacent pistons are either drawing together or moving away from one another, thereby providing a decrease/increase in the volumes of inter-piston chambers, and thereby ensuring, in the process of rotation of each of the inter-piston chambers, the possibility of executing successive strokes: intake of air and fuel or an air-fuel mixture in the chamber, compression of the air-fuel mixture; ignition of the above mixture accompanied by expansion of combustion gases, and exhaust of said gases from the chamber. 
   As against a regular reciprocating engine, the rotary engine features the following advantages. First, in the rotary engine all the pistons are disposed within the same cylinder, i.e. they are arranged in the circular rather than longitudinal direction, thereby allowing to reduce longitudinal dimensions of the engine; second, the pistons are moving in the circular rather than radial direction; as a result, the rotary engine is much more compact than the reciprocating one. In addition, arrangement of all the pistons within one cylinder and their rotation in the circular direction result in a lower materials consumption of such engine. At the same time, conversion of rotation of the pistons to rotation of the output shaft is accomplished through the use of four eccentric members rather than via a massive crankshaft, thereby also reducing the materials consumption of the engine. Meanwhile, the major advantage of the rotary engine consists in that its pistons are not reciprocating but rather constantly moving in one direction, although at alternate speeds, thereby resulting in substantially lower consumption of energy required to overcome the inertia of pistons in a change of the sign of their acceleration for an opposite one, and hence in an increase of the engine specific power and performance index. In the rotary engine, supply of air or air-fuel mixture to the cylinder and exhaust of combustion gases are carried out by closing and opening intake and exhaust ports by pistons in the course of their travel within the cylinder, thereby eliminating the need in a complicated multicomponent control gear comprising a camshaft coupled with the crankshaft, as well as lifters, rocker arms, and valves: all this simplifies engine design and improves reliability of its operation, while eliminating consumption of energy for driving this control gear. 
   However, in the above-described engine the couplings between the flywheel, bearing members, and satellite gears are executed via crankpin—radial slot kinematic pairs that operate under kinetic friction conditions and great contact loads, thereby causing substantial friction in these pairs and resulting in substantial abrasion of the walls of radial slots and crankpins, and hence in an increase of gaps therebetween; all this results in emergence of impact loads that disturb normal operation of the engine. At the same time, satellite gears do not have any axial bearings since these satellite gears are coupled with the flywheel by means of crankpins disposed in these satellite gears in eccentric arrangement relative to the axes of rotation thereof; therefore, the crankpins exert high pressure forces to hold satellite gears together with the toothed gearwheels during rotational movements of the crankpins toward said toothed gearwheels, and pull the crankpins away from the toothed gearwheels during rotational movements of the crankpins in the opposite direction. Such an arrangement creates great radial loads on the satellite gears and toothed gearwheels, and causes fluctuating bending stresses in the crankpins, and hence fluctuating loads on all the components of the transmission gear. Elevated loads in meshes between satellite gears and gearwheels cause substantial friction forces in such meshes, which in addition to substantial friction forces in the crankpin—radial slot kinematic pairs results in considerable losses of energy, and hence in an insufficient performance index of the engine. Considerable loads in meshes, as well as impact loads in crankpin—radial slot pairs result in an inadequate reliability of the engine and insufficient interrepair life thereof. At the same time, rigid couplings between the components of the transmission gear, carried out via two eccentric members, impose restraints on setting a mode of variation of the speed of relative travel of the bearing members, and result in an additional increase in the loads on the transmission gear components. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Proceeding from aforementioned, the present invention is based on the object of improving the rotary internal combustion engine by way of providing rotational couplings between each of satellite gears and the flywheel and the bearing member, with inclusion of axial bearings for satellite gears in the transmission gear, thereby allowing to eliminate impact loads on the components of said transmission gear, to reduce loads on said components and power consumption required for overcoming friction in said components, and to provide more flexible couplings therebetween, and hence to increase the performance index of the engine, reliability and interrepair time thereof, while reducing dimensions and mass of the components of the transmission gear, and to extend the capabilities of setting the mode of variation of the speed of relative travel of the bearing members. 
   The object set forth is attained by that in a rotary internal combustion engine comprising a hollow torus-shaped working cylinder provided with a water jacket; a through continuous circular slot whose walls are symmetrically arranged relative to the central plane of the cylinder around the smallest-diameter surface thereof; an injector or a spark plug; arc-shaped extended intake and exhaust ports provided in the wall for intake of air or an air-fuel mixture and for exhaust of combustion gases; a circular housing symmetrically disposed relative to the central axis of the cylinder and provided with side walls, and also provided with four pistons mounted in the working cylinder for travel along the internal surface thereof and shaped to conform this surface and provided with compression and oil-scraper rings near end faces thereof, and in addition provided with an output shaft mounted for rotation within said side walls of the housing along the central axis of the working cylinder, and a flywheel fastened on the output shaft or being integral therewith, and two bearing members symmetrically arranged relative to the central plane of the cylinder, each of said members comprising radially arranged ring and a C-wall mounted for rotation about the axis of the output shaft, and wherein, in addition to the above-listed, two pistons are fastened in a diametrically opposite arrangement on one ring, and two pistons, on the other ring, thereby forming inter-piston chambers between the pistons that are fastened on different bearing members; in so doing, shape and size of the rings are chosen proceeding from the condition of their mounting within the circular slot for tight contact between external surfaces of the rings and compression and oil-scraper rings, and for sealing the gaps between end faces of said rings, as well as between other end faces thereof and circular slot walls, and finally wherein there is provided a transmission gear comprising two toothed gearwheels in the form of external-mesh gearwheels that are fastened on the side walls of the housing and are provided with axial openings for the passage of the output shaft; four satellite gears coupled with the flywheel, two of said satellite gears being in engagement with one toothed gearwheel and coupled with one bearing member, and two other gearwheels engaged with the other toothed gearwheel and coupled with the other bearing member, the axis of rotation of each satellite gear coupled with one bearing member being disposed between axes of rotation of the satellite gears coupled with the other bearing member; eccentric members coupling the satellite gears with the flywheel and the bearing members, and provided with two main journals mounted within flywheel openings, said openings being parallel to the flywheel axis, and four crankpins coupled with the bearing members, the ratio between diameters of satellite gears and toothed gearwheels being 1:2; the planes passing through the axes of the main journals and crankpins of each pair of adjacent eccentric members intersecting at an angle of 90°, and the distance between crankpins in the areas of top and bottom dead centers being minimal, wherein according to the present invention, the transmission gear is provided with four eccentric members whose main journals are disposed at a uniform pitch along circumference and are either fastened within the axial openings of the satellite gears or made integral therewith, and the crankpins are coupled with the bearing members by means of coupler links, each coupler link being mounted with the ends thereof for rotation on the crankpin and about the pivot pin disposed in the wall of one of the bearing members. 
   Provision of the transmission gear with four instead of two eccentric members mounted with main journals thereof within four openings provided in the flywheel and having no rigid coupling therebetween, and availability of couplings between the crankpins and the bearing members via the coupler links result in elimination of the crankpin—radial slot pairs that operate under conditions of kinetic friction and great contact loads, thereby imparting all the couplings between the bearing members and the flywheel rotational nature and making them more loose, which results in a decrease in consumption of energy required to overcome the friction between the components of the transmission gear, and expands the possibilities of setting a mode of variation of the speed of relative travel of the bearing members provided with the pistons. At the same time, the above rotational couplings eliminate abrasion of interacting surfaces and resulting emergence of impact loads within the transmission gear. Fastening of the main journals within the satellite gears along axes of rotation thereof results in the reduction of loads, and hence of the friction in toothed meshes, and eliminates any substantial alternate stresses in the transmission gear components. All this permits to reduce costs required to overcome the friction between the transmission gear components, to reduce the loads exerted thereon, and hence to increase the performance index of the engine, reliability and interrepair life thereof, while decreasing dimensions and mass of the transmission gear components. 
   In so doing, the bearing members of the inventive rotary engine may be disposed on both sides of the central plane of the cylinder, with a gap provided between the walls of said bearing members; the flywheel is composed of two radially arranged discs, each of them being disposed between one of the toothed gearwheels and one of the bearing members, and two radially arranged rings, each of them being disposed between one of the housing side walls and one pair of the satellite gears, and coupled with one of the discs by means of two arc-shaped plates passed between the points of engagement of toothed gearwheels with satellite gears, the main journals of the satellite gears meshed with one toothed gearwheel being mounted within the openings of one ring, and the main journals of the satellite gears meshed with the other toothed gearwheel, within the openings of the other wheel. Such arrangement results in a small axial length of the bearing members since their walls are disposed at an insignificant distance from one another in the axial direction; this however also somewhat complicates the flywheel design, increases the number of parts, and complicates the technology of assembling such engine. 
   In the best mode of the engine, the bearing members are disposed on both sides of the central plane of the cylinder, with a gap provided between the walls of said bearing members; the flywheel is composed of two radially arranged discs and two radially arranged rings, each of the discs being disposed between one of the toothed gearwheels and one of the bearing members, and each of the rings, between one of the housing side walls and the satellite gears, and coupled with one of the discs by means of four arc-shaped plates passed between four points of engagement of toothed gearwheels and satellite gears, each of the satellite gears being composed of two twin gearwheels fastened on the main journal thereof on both sides of the pair of the bearing members, and the main journal rigidly connected with the crankpin, the main journal of each satellite gear being mounted within coaxial openings of both flywheel rings; one of the twin gearwheels is meshed with one of the toothed gearwheels, and the other gearwheel, with the other toothed gearwheel; the coupler link connecting each of the satellite gears with the bearing member is disposed within the gap between twin gearwheels of the satellite gear and is composed of two parallel plates that are rigidly interconnected with formation of a gap therebetween, said gap enclosing the wall of the bearing member, coupled with this satellite gear, the walls of the bearing members being made in the shape of plates or discs connecting the piston pairs, each of the discs being provided with four openings; arrangement and sizes of the plates or openings provided in the discs are chosen proceeding from the condition of absence of any contacts between main journals and crankpins of the satellite gears coupled with one bearing member, and plates or edges of the openings provided in the discs of the other bearing member in the course of relative travel of the bearing members. 
   The advantage of such embodiment of the engine consists in that the load on the teeth of satellite gears and toothed gearwheels, exerted by the bearing members, is evenly distributed between the twin gearwheels, thereby halving the load in the meshes between the satellite gears and the toothed gearwheels, and hence permitting to substantially reduce the sizes of the satellite gears and the toothed gearwheels, thereby decreasing radial dimensions of the transmission gear. In addition, making satellite gears in the twin form, their gearwheels being symmetrically arranged relative to the central plane of the cylinder, ensures symmetrical arrangement of masses of the transmission gear components on both sides of this plane along axial and radial coordinates, and hence substantially simplifies static and dynamic balancing of the engine, and reduces the timetable and costs required for such balancing. This however somewhat complicates the design of the transmission gear and assembling of the engine. 
   As an alternative, the flywheel may be disposed in the central plane of the cylinder, each toothed gearwheel being provided with a bushing fastened on the side wall of the housing, and the bearing members are mounted for rotation on the bushings of the toothed gearwheels between these gearwheels and housing side walls. Such arrangement results in a substantial axial length of the bearing members and their mounting on the bushings of the toothed gearwheels rather than on the output shaft, at the same time however simplifying the flywheel design and couplings thereof with satellite gears, and hence simplifies the technology of assembling such engine. 
   To ensure unhindered travel of the pistons within the cylinder and tightness of the inter-piston chambers from the side of end faces of the pistons, external surfaces of the rings of the bearing members may be made along the moving line in the shape of a circular arc having a diameter equal to the diameter of the internal surface of the working cylinder, and the rings are mounted within the circular slot, external surfaces thereof forming an extension of the internal surface of the cylinder. Such arrangement results in a complicated shape of external surfaces of the rings, thereby requiring a high working accuracy and precise fitting of these surfaces to the internal surface of the cylinder in the process of mounting the rings inside the circular slot. 
   Alternatively, the external surface of each piston may be made along the moving line in the shape of circumference, and be provided with a rectilinear section facing the circular slot, the width of said section being equal to the width of the circular slot, and external surfaces of the rings, along the moving lines in the shape of rectilinear lengths. Such arrangement simplifies the shape of rings and hence machining of their external surfaces; however it complicates the shapes of pistons, compression and oil-scraper rings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention is further explained by way of the drawings, in which 
       FIG. 1  shows the engine in section along the output shaft axis; 
       FIG. 2  shows section I-I of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  shows enlarged area II of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  shows enlarged area II of  FIG. 1 , where external surfaces of the rings of the bearing members are made along rectilinear moving lines; 
       FIGS. 5 through 8  show the kinematics of the engine with four various positions of its components during one revolution of the output shaft; 
       FIG. 9  shows the engine diagram with the flywheel disposed along the central plane of the working cylinder, while the bearing members are arranged between the side walls and the toothed gearwheels; 
       FIG. 10  shows axonometric view of the engine in which the satellite gears are made as twin gearwheels; 
       FIG. 11  shows the assembly configuration of the engine shown in  FIG. 10 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The rotary internal combustion engine comprises hollow torus-shaped working cylinder  1  ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) provided with through continuous circular slot  2  whose walls are symmetrically arranged relative to the central plane of cylinder  1  about the smallest-diameter surface  3  thereof; four pistons  4 ,  5 ,  6 , and  7  mounted in the working cylinder for travel along the internal surface thereof, shaped to conform this surface and provided with compression and oil-scraper rings  8  near the ends thereof. The inventive engine is also provided with circular housing  10  with side walls  11  and  12 , symmetrically disposed relative to central axis  9  of working cylinder  1 ; output shaft  13  with flywheel  14 , symmetrically mounted relative to line  15  and for rotation about central axis  9  of working cylinder  1  in side walls  11  and  12 ; two bearing members  16  and  17  provided with rings  18  and  19 , and walls  20  and  21 . The engine is also provided with a transmission gear comprising two toothed gearwheels in the form of external-mesh gearwheels  22  and  23  that are fastened within housing  1  in symmetrical arrangement relative to the central plane of circular slot  2 ; four satellite gears  24 ,  25 ,  26 , and  27 , coupled with the flywheel, and four eccentric members  28 ,  29 ,  30 ,  31  provided with main journals  32 ,  33 ,  34 ,  35  and crankpins  36 ,  37 ,  38 ,  39 . For the carburetor engine and the injection engine, spark plug  40  is mounted in the wall of cylinder  1 , and arc-shaped extended intake port  41  and exhaust port  42  are provided in said wall for intake of air-fuel mixture into cylinder  1  and for exhaust of combustion gases therefrom, respectively. For the diesel engine, the spark plug is replaced by a fuel injection nozzle, and port  41  serves for intake of air into cylinder  1 . Walls  20  and  21  of bearing members  16  and  17  are made in the form of plates coupling piston pairs  4 ,  6  and  5 ,  7 . However, for the purpose of increasing the strength of walls  20  and  21 , while keeping their thickness minimal,-these walls may be made in the shape of discs provided with ports designed to reduce the mass of discs and to facilitate access to engine components in the course of maintenance activities. 
   Bearing members  16  and  17  are made C-shaped in radial sections thereof and mounted on output shaft  13  for rotation thereabout and in symmetrical relationship with central plane  15  of circular slot  2 , a gap being provided between their walls  20  and  21  that are coupled with rings  18  and  19  along open end faces thereof. External surfaces  43  and  44  (FIG.  3 ) of rings  18  and  19  of bearing members  16  and  17  are provided along the moving lines in the shape of arcs of a circumference having a diameter equal to the diameter of the internal surface of working cylinder  1 , and radial sizes of rings  18  and  19 , i.e. distances of their external surfaces  43  and  44  from central shaft  9  of cylinder  1  are so selected that when mounting rings  18  and  19  in circular slot  2  their external surfaces  43  and  44  form, inside slot  2 , an extension of the internal surface of cylinder  1 , thereby providing a tight contact between surfaces  43 ,  44  and compression and oil-scraper rings  8  of pistons  4  through  7 , and hence sealing of the inter-piston chambers and free travel of pistons  4  through  7  inside cylinder  1 . However, the complicated shape of external surfaces  43 ,  44  of rings  18 ,  19  requires a high accuracy of their machining and fitting of these surfaces to the internal surface of cylinder  1  in the course of mounting rings  18 ,  19  in circular slot  2 . 
   To eliminate the above shortcomings, the surface of each of pistons  4  through  7  may be made ( FIG. 4 ) along a moving line in the form of a circumference with rectilinear section  45  facing circular slot  2 , the width of this section being equal to the width of circular slot  2 , and external surfaces  43   a ,  44   a  of rings  18 ,  19  in the radial section thereof, in the form of rectilinear lengths along moving lines. This solution however results in a complication of shapes of pistons  4  through  7 . 
   End faces of rings  18  and  19 , as well as of the walls of circular slot  2  ( FIG. 3 ) are provided with circular concentric grooves  47  which, upon mounting of rings  18  and  19  in circular slot  2 , form labyrinth seal  48  between the end faces of rings  18  and  19 , and labyrinth seals  49  and  50  between the end faces of rings  18 ,  19  and the walls of circular slot  2 . Labyrinth seals  49  and  50  are supplied with a lubricant via circular ducts  51  and  52 , provided in housing  10 , and via a set of ducts  53 ,  54  that are connected with ducts  51 ,  52  and open into seals  49  and  50 . Seal  48  is supplied with lubricant from circular gap  55  provided between pistons  4  through  7  and the internal surface of cylinder  1 . Gap  55  is supplied with lubricant via radial duct  56  provided in wall  21  of bearing member  17 , said radial duct being supplied with lubricant via an axial duct provided in shaft  13  ( FIG. 2 ). Under the effect of centrifugal forces resulting from rotation of bearing members  16 ,  17 , the lubricant is vented from seals  49 ,  50  into circular gap  55 . Labyrinth seals  48 ,  49 ,  50  form ducts of variable cross-section, which fact, taken in combination with an oil film formed therein, results in a high hydraulic resistance in the way of combustion gases. Labyrinth seals may be replaced by O-rings fastened on end faces of rings  18 ,  19  and made of a heat-resisting material having low coefficients of thermal expansion and friction. 
   Pistons  4  and  6  ( FIGS. 1 ,  2 ) are fastened in a diametrically opposite relationship on bearing member  16 , and pistons  5  and  7 , on bearing member  17 , thereby forming variable-volume inter-piston chambers  60 ,  61 ,  62 ,  63  between pistons  4 ,  5 ,  6 , and  7 . 
   Satellite gears  24  and  26  are meshed with gearwheel  22 , and satellite gears  25  and  27 , with gearwheel  23 . 
   Flywheel  14  ( FIGS. 1 ,  5 ) is composed of two radially arranged discs  64  and  65 , disc  64  being disposed between gearwheel  22  and bearing member  16 , and disc  65 , between gearwheel  23  and bearing member  17 , and two radially arranged rings  66  and  67 , ring  66  being disposed between side wall  11  of housing  1  and a pair of satellite gears  24 ,  25 , and ring  67 , between side wall  12  and a pair of satellite gears  26 ,  27 . Ring  66  is coupled with disc  64  by two arc-shaped plates  68  passed between the points of engagement of gearwheel  22  with satellite gears  24 ,  26 , and ring  67  is coupled with disc  65  by two arc-shaped plates  68  passed between the point of engagement of gearwheel  23  with satellite gears  26 ,  27 . Main journals  32  and  34  are mounted for rotation in openings of ring  66 , and main journals  33  and  35 , in openings of ring  67 . Axes of openings in both rings are disposed at a uniform circular pitch. Satellite gears  24  and  26  are fastened on main journals  32  and  34  of eccentric members  28  and  30 , and their crankpins  36  and  38  are coupled with wall  20  of bearing member  16  by coupler links  69  and  70 , mounted with their ends for rotation on these crankpins and on pins  71  and  72 , fastened in wall  20  of bearing member  16 . Satellite gears  25  and  27  are fastened on main journals  33  and  35  of eccentric members  29  and  31 , and their crankpins  37  and  39  are coupled with wall  21  of bearing member  17  by coupler links  73  and  74 , mounted with the ends thereof for rotation on these crankpins and on pins  75  and  76 , fastened on wall  21  of bearing member  17 . Such design of the engine makes for compactness of the pair of bearing members  16 ,  17 , since these members are disposed at an insignificant axial distance from one another; at the same time however it also results in a complication of the design of flywheel  14 , an increase in the number of parts, complication of engine design and engine assembling technology. 
   To ensure cycling operation of engine components in the function of angles of flywheel rotation from the top dead center, the following parameters of these components have been established. The ratio between diameters of satellite gears  24  through  27  and toothed gearwheels  22 ,  23  is 1:2, so that during one revolution of output shaft  13  and hence flywheel  14 , each satellite gear performs two revolutions about its axis. Plane  77  passing through the axes of main journal  33  and cranikpin  37  of eccentric member  29  of satellite gear  25 , intersects at an angle of 90° plane  78  passing through the axes of main journal  34  and cranikpin  38  of eccentric member  30 . The planes passing through the axes of main journals and crankpins of each pair of adjacent eccentric members intersect at the same angle. Such arrangement of the above planes causes the arrangement of longitudinal axes of adjacent eccentric members (being projections of the above planes to the plane perpendicular to the axis of the output shaft) at an angle of 90°. When designing the engine by way of calculations or using a mock-up of the engine, circular sizes of pistons  4  through  7  are set depending on a selected compression ratio of the air-fuel mixture. In so doing, selected in the cylinder are locations of top and bottom dead centers (M) in the area of maximum approach of adjacent pistons, i.e. in the minimal distance between crankpins of adjacent satellite gears, and on the basis of these dead centers, determined are angular data for spark plug or incandescent plug  40 , as well as angular data for intake port  41  and exhaust port  42 . Selection of the lengths of coupler links  69 ,  70 ,  73 ,  74  and locations of their axes of rotation on walls  20  and  21  of bearing members  16 ,  17  is used for presetting the directions of forces applied to crankpins  35  through  39  of satellite gears  24  through  27  by bearing members  16  and  17  in the function of the angles of rotation of the output shaft, thereby defining the nature of changes of the arms of these forces, and hence the nature of changes of torques transferred to satellite gears, in the function of the angles of rotation of the output shaft, and thereby permitting to preset the nature of variation of the speed of relative travel of the bearing members, and hence to optimize parameters of the processes occurring inside the inter-piston chambers. 
   The cooling system of the engine is made in the same way as the system described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,026,249, and therefore is not given in this Specification. The lubricating system is constructed in compliance with the prior art principles, and is only partially presented in this Specification. 
   Working cylinder  1  and housing  10  are made of two halves  82  and  83  ( FIGS. 1 ,  3 , and  11 ) provided with circular flanges  84  and  85 , and with circular sealing washer  86  mounted therebetween. Flanges  84  and  85  are interconnected by way of bolted joints  87 . Washer  86 , together with labyrinth seals  48 ,  49 ,  50 , provide tightness of the cavity of working cylinder  1 . 
   When assembling the engine, pistons  4  and  6  with bearing member  16  made integral therewith are mounted into one of halves  82 ,  83 , and pistons  5  and  7  with bearing member  17 , into the other half. Output shaft  13  with flywheel  14 , and components of the transmission gear are inserted into the space between side walls  11  and  12 ; washer  86  is mounted between flanges  84  and  85 ; both halves of working cylinder  1  are connected to dispose pistons  4  and  6  between pistons  5  and  7 , and rings  18  and  19 , in circular slot  2 ; following this, and halves  82  and  83  of cylinder  1  are fastened together by bolted joints  87 . 
   The engine operates as follows. 
     FIG. 5  demonstrates the kinematics of the engine at the moment when, upon spinup thereof by the starter, pistons  5  and  6  are disposed in the area of the top dead center, M, and inter-piston chamber  61  formed between said pistons and containing an air-fuel mixture compressed to a maximum extent is at the beginning of the area of ignition of the air-fuel mixture and expansion of combustion gases. Piston  7  has opened exhaust port  42 , and inter-piston chamber  62  is disposed at the end of the area of exhaust of combustion gases. Piston  4  starts opening intake port  41 , and inter-piston chamber  63  is disposed at the beginning of the area of intake of the air-fuel mixture. Inter-piston chamber  60  is disposed before the beginning of the compression area. The distances between crankpins  36 ,  39  of eccentric members  28 ,  31  of adjacent satellite gears  24 ,  27 , and between crankpins  37 ,  38  of eccentric members  29 ,  30  of satellite gears  25 ,  26  are minimal. In the process of engine operation, longitudinal axes of eccentric members of adjacent satellite gears are constantly taking positions in which axes thereof intersect at an angle of 90°.  FIG. 6  shows the kinematics of the engine at the moment when the process of expansion of combustion gases in inter-piston chamber  61  comes to an end, exhaust of combustion gases in chamber  62  comes to an end, intake of the air-fuel mixture in chamber  63  comes to an end, and the process of mixture compression in chamber  64  comes to an end. 
   The air-fuel mixture in inter-piston chamber  61  is igniting, and expanding combustion gases exert pressure on pistons  5  and  6 , said pressure being of the same magnitude and acting in opposite directions. Here, piston  6  together with bearing member  16  rotates clockwise. Coupler link  73  turns eccentric member  30  clockwise, and as a result satellite gear  26 , while rotating about its axis, is rolling clockwise together with main journal  34  about gearwheel  22 ; here, main journal  34 , by acting upon the wall of the opening provided in ring  66  of flywheel  14 , rotates said flywheel clockwise. At the same time, under the effect of the pressure exerted by combustion gases, piston  5  with bearing member  17  rotates counter-clockwise. Coupler link  70  rotates eccentric member  29  together with satellite gear  25  clockwise. Similarly to satellite gear  26 , satellite gear  25 , while rotating about its axis, is rolling clockwise together with main journal  33  of eccentric member  29  about gearwheel  23 , main journal  33  also rotating flywheel  14  clockwise. Thus, pistons  6  and  5  transfer clockwise-directed torques, i.e. an overall torque, to flywheel  14 . Here, forces exerted by coupler link  73  on eccentric member  30 , and by coupler link  70  on eccentric member  29 , are of equal magnitude; however, the arm of the force acting on eccentric member  30  is longer than the arm of force acting on eccentric member  29 , and therefore the torque on eccentric member  30  is greater than the one acting on eccentric member  29 . As a result, the torque transferred to flywheel  14  by eccentric member  30  is greater than the torque transferred by eccentric member  29 . Bearing member  17  is acted upon by a torque created by the pressure of combustion gases on piston  5  and directed counter-clockwise, as well as by the clockwise torque from eccentric member  29 , and the torque from eccentric member  29 , and the torque from flywheel  14 , transferred to said bearing member by main journal  34  of eccentric member  30 . As a result of all the aforementioned, in the process of expansion of combustion gases inside inter-piston chamber  61 , bearing member  16  with piston  6  considerably out-distance bearing member  17  with piston  5 , and therefore piston  5  moves very slowly in clockwise direction, following piston  6 . 
   At the same time, bearing member  17  moves piston  7  clockwise by the same angle as piston  5 . In so doing, bearing member  17  is acted upon by an oppositely directed torque since rotating flywheel  14  is moving main journal  35  of eccentric member  31  clockwise, while eccentric member  31  rotating clockwise about its axis together with satellite gear  27 , is pushing bearing member  17  counter-clockwise via coupler link  74 , which constitutes another factor promoting a considerable lag of piston  5  from piston  6 . Piston  6  is traveling clockwise toward almost immovable piston  7 , thereby resulting in ejection of combustion gases from inter-piston chamber  62 . Piston  4  is moved by bearing member  16  together with piston  6  by the same angle, while gradually opening intake port  41 , and thereby carrying out supply of the air-fuel mixture into chamber  63 , and at the same time approaching almost immovable piston  5 , thereby carrying out compression of the air-fuel mixture inside inter-piston chamber  60 . 
   Further on, piston  5  takes the position of piston  6  ( FIG. 7 ); piston  4  takes the position of piston  5 ; piston  7  takes the position of piston  4 ; and piston  6  takes the position of piston  7 , correspondingly changing the positions of bearing members  16  and  17 , and the processes that took place inside inter-piston chambers and described above for the sequence of chambers  61 - 62 - 63 - 60 , are repeated for the sequence of chambers  60 - 61 - 62 - 63 ; as a result, pistons  5  and  7  in the course of their motion outdistance pistons  6  and  4 , and components of the transmission gear, coupled with pistons  5  and  7 , repeat the motions of components coupled with pistons  6  and  4 .  FIG. 8  shows subsequent positions of engine components, similar to those given in  FIG. 6 . Thus, during one revolution of output shaft  13 , in each of the inter-piston chambers there occurs a sequence of processes of intake of the air-fuel mixture, its compression, ignition accompanied by expansion of combustion gases, and exhaust of these gases; during one revolution of output shaft  13 , four explosion strokes occur inside various inter-piston chambers, accompanied by transfer of the energy of pistons&#39; motion to output shaft  13 . 
   Thus, transfer of power from pistons  4  through  7  to output shaft  13  is carried out via bearing members  16 ,  17  and the transmission gear containing only pairs operating with rolling friction, i.e. via coupler links  69 ,  70  and  73 ,  74 , rotating with ends thereof about pins  71 ,  72  and  75 ,  76  in bearing members  16 ,  17 , and about crankpins  36 ,  37  and  38 ,  39  of eccentric members  28 ,  30 ,  31 ,  33 , whose main journals  32  through  35  are rotating in the openings of two rings  66 ,  67  of flywheel  14 . As compared to the prototype engine, such arrangement considerably reduces friction in the transmission gear components and eliminates increased wear thereof. Satellite gears  24  through  27  are provided with axial supports in the form of main journals  32  through  35 , thereby eliminating emergence of substantial alternate loads acting upon the transmission gear components. Couplings between eccentric members  28  through  31  and the bearing members via coupler links  69 ,  70 ,  73 ,  74  eliminate the need in crankpin—radial slot pairs in the bearing members, operating under kinetic friction conditions and great contact loads. 
   As can be seen from the description of design and operation of the internal combustion engine, it has the following main advantage over a regular reciprocating engine. In a regular reciprocating engine, the pistons are performing reciprocal motion, thereby causing great consumption of energy required to overcome the inertia of pistons in a change of the direction of their travel for an opposite one. In the course of operation of the rotary engine, pistons  4  through  7  are constantly traveling in the same direction, although at variable speeds; in so doing, consumption of energy required to overcome the inertia of pistons in a change of the sign of their acceleration for an opposite one is considerably lower, and hence the performance index of the rotary engine is much higher than in case of a regular one. 
   It is also possible to use a different arrangement of engine components ( FIG. 9 ), wherein flywheel  14  is disposed in central plane  15  of circular slot  2 , and bearing members are disposed behind gearwheels  22 ,  23  and between side walls  11 ,  12  of housing  1 .  FIG. 9  shows a diagram presenting flywheel  14 , gearwheel  22 , one satellite gear  25  with main journal  34  mounted for rotation in one of the openings provided in flywheel  14 , and with cranikpin  37 , and bearing member  16  with pin  72  fastened in wall  20 , and crosshead coupler linik 7 O whose ends are mounted for rotation on cranikpin  37  and pin  72 . Bearing members  16  and  17  are mounted for rotation on flanged bushings  90  of gearwheels  22  and  23 , used for fastening these gearwheels on side walls  11  and  12  of housing  1 . The engine having such arrangement of components operates similarly to the above-described one. It differs from the above engine in terms of a simpler design, method of manufacture, and assembling technology; however, bearing members  16  and  17  feature a greater axial length and complicate access to the components disposed therebetween. 
   In another embodiment of the invention ( FIGS. 10 ,  11 ), bearing members  16 ,  17  are disposed on both sides of central plane  15  of circular slot  2  and with a clearance between their walls  20  and  21  made in the form of plates connecting the pairs of pistons  4 - 6  and  5 - 7 . Each of the satellite gears is composed of two twin gearwheels fastened on the main journals thereof on both sides of the pair of bearing members  16  and  17 , and rigidly interconnected by a crankpin, one gearwheel of each satellite gear being meshed with toothed gearwheel  22 , and the other gearwheel, with toothed gearwheel  23 . Thus, satellite gear  24  is composed of two twin gearwheels  102  and  103 , mounted on main journals  32  and  32   a  of said satellite gear with a gap therebetween and rigidly interconnected by crankpin  36 , gearwheel  102  being meshed with toothed gearwheel  22 , and gearwheel  103 , with toothed gearwheel  23 . Exactly in the same way, satellite gear  26  is composed of two twin gearwheels  106  and  107 ; satellite gear  25 , of two twin gearwheels  108  and  109 , and satellite gear  27 , of two twin gearwheels  110  and  111 , gearwheels  106 ,  108 , and  109  being meshed with toothed gearwheel  22 , and gearwheels  107 ,  109 , and  111 , with toothed gearwheel  23 . Flywheel  14  is composed of two radially arranged discs  112  and  113 , and two radially arranged rings  114  and  115 , disc  112  being disposed between toothed gearwheel  22  and wall  20  of bearing member  16 , and disc  113 , between toothed gearwheel  23  and wall  21  of bearing member  17 ; ring  114 , between side wall  11  of housing  10  and gearwheels  102 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 , and ring  115 , between side wall  12  of housing  10  and gearwheels  103 ,  107 ,  109 ,  111 . Ring  114  is coupled with disc  112  by four arc-shaped plates  116  passed between four points  117  of engagement between gearwheels  102 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110  and toothed gearwheel  22 . Exactly in the same way, ring  115  is coupled with disc  113  by arc-shaped plates  118  passed between four points  119  of engagement between gearwheels  103 ,  107 ,  109 ,  111  and toothed gearwheel  23 . Each of main journals  32  through  35  and  32   a  through  35   a  is mounted for rotation in coaxial openings of rings  114  and  115 , axes of openings of all the four main journals being disposed at a uniform circular pitch. Crankpins  36  and  38  of satellite gears  24  and  26  are coupled with wall  20  of bearing member  16  by coupler links  120  and  121 , and crankpins  37  and  39  of satellite gears  25  and  27  are coupled with wall  21  of bearing member  17  by coupler links  122  and  123 . Each of coupler links  120  through  123  is disposed between twin gearwheels of respective satellite gears and consists of two parallel plates  124  and  125 , rigidly interconnected at one ends thereof by pin  126  with formation of a gap therebetween, the opposite ends of these plates being provided with coaxial openings for crankpins  36  through  39 . Coupler links  120  and  121  are mounted with pins thereof in the openings provided in wall  20  of bearing member  16 , and coupler links  122  and  123 , in the openings provided in the wall of bearing member  17 . Crankpins  36  through  39  are passed through the coaxial openings provided at the other ends of plates  124 ,  125  of coupler links  120  through  123 . Thus, coupler links  120  through  123  are mounted with one ends thereof, i.e. pins  126 , for rotation in the openings provided in walls  20  and  21 , and with other ends thereof, for rotation on crankpins  37  through  39 . Here, walls  20  and  21  are disposed between plates  124  and  125  of coupler links  120  through  123 . Arrangement and sizes of walls  20  and  21  of bearing members  16  and  17 , made in the form of walls, are selected proceeding from the condition of lack of any contact between main journals  32 ,  32   a ,  34 ,  34   a  and crankpins  36 ,  38  of satellite gears  24  and  26 , coupled with wall  20  of bearing member  16 , in the course of relative motion of walls  20  and  21 , and lack of any contact between main journals  33 ,  33   a ,  35 ,  35   a  and crankpins  37 ,  39  of satellite gears  25 ,  27 , coupled with wall  21  of bearing member  17 , with wall  20  of bearing member  16  in the course of their motion. When making the walls of bearing members  16  and  17  in the form of discs, each disc is provided with four ports whose arrangement and sizes are also selected proceeding from the condition of lack of any contact between main journals and crankpins of satellite gears, coupled with the disc of one bearing member, and the edges of the ports provided in the other bearing member. 
   In the course of engine operation, the load on the teeth of satellite gears  24  through  27  and toothed gearwheels  22 ,  23  from bearing members  16 ,  17  is equally distributed between gearwheels  102 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 , and their twin gearwheels  103 ,  107 ,  109 ,  111 , thereby halving the load within meshes between satellite gears  24  through  27  and toothed gearwheels  22 ,  23 , and hence allows to considerably reduce the sizes of these toothed members, and thereby to reduce radial sizes of the transmission gear. In addition, twin arrangement of satellite gears  24  through  27 , their gearwheels being symmetrical relative to central plane  3  of cylinder  1 , ensures symmetrical arrangement of masses of the transmission gear elements on both sides of central plane  3  of cylinder  1  both in axial and radial directions, and therefore considerably simplifies static and dynamic balancing of the engine, and reduces consumption of time and funds required for such balancing. This however somewhat complicates the design of the transmission gear and assembling of the engine. In all other respects, the engine operates similarly to the above-described embodiments thereof.

Technology Category: 4