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This is an idea for a (hopefully) unique engine layout.
There are four main parts -- the rotating engine block, the surrounding cam ring, the central port block, and the pistons. The rotating block and pistons move, the cam ring doesn't.
Inside the rotating block are several cylinders, arranged
so that the working volume faces inwards towards the axis, and the rear of each piston faces outwards to the surrounding cam ring.
The central port block has one intake port, one exhaust port and one spark plug. As the rotating block moves around the port block, each cylinder's "top" passes across the ports.
The rear of each piston connects to a rod, which extends out of the cylinder, and has a wheel on the end of it. Each of these wheels rolls along the cam ring.
The outer cam ring holds the pistons in. It's inner surface is a curve, shaped so that as each piston moves inwards or outwards as necessary to produce a four stroke cycle.
Inwards motion of pistons of course is done by the cam pushing them inwards at the appropriate angles. Outwards motion of the piston during the intake stroke is accomplished by centrifugal force, regulated by the cam. Outwards motion during the power stroke is done by a combination of centrifugal force and expanding hot compressed gasses.
In some ways, this engine resembles the "Cylindrical Energy Module" [link] invented by Eddie Paul, except that in my idea the cylinders are in a plane, not parallel to each other.
Cylindrical Energy Module
http://www.epindustries.com/cemco.html
[goldbb, May 11 2010]
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Annotation:
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Could you elaborate on the port block a bit? Is it one
pair of ports and a spark plug per cylinder, or one set
for the whole engine? Is it stationary or rotating? |
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This is in many ways similar to the rotary 2-stroke aircraft engines which were common in WW1. Their problem was that, like many 2-strokes, they used total-loss lubrication. |
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This may be a 4-stroke but lubrication (and lubricant loss, and distribution problems due to centripetal force) are going to be numerous. |
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Arvin, the port block has one intake port for the whole engine, and one exhaust port for the whole engine, and one spark plug for the whole engine. |
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Each cylinder is exposed to the single intake port for a quarter of a rotation, sealed off for a half a rotation (passing the spark plug in the middle of that half rotation), and is exposed to the single exhaust port for a quarter of a rotation. |
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The port block is stationary. |
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8/7, I hadn't considered lubrication, but I would expect that we could add it at the port block, and dispense it through the spinning engine block... not directly into the working chambers, but only to the sides of the pistons. |
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The oil would get flung by centrifugal force onto the cam ring, lubricating it, then collected at some point and pumped back into the port block. |
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