US1705062A - Rotary charge chamber - Google Patents

Description

March 12, 1929; I -J, G, c, MANTLE 1,705,062

ROTARY CHARGE CHAMBER Original Filed June so, 1923 INVENTOR, J 6'. 0.11m,

'ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 12, 1929.

JOSEPH G. C. MANTLE, OF LEONIA, JERSEY.

ROTARY CHARGE CHAMBER.

Original application filed June 30, 1923, Serial No. 648,783. Divided and this application filed June 8, 1926. Serial No. 114,383.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines of either the explosion or the continuous combustion type and, also, such as may be operated as of either type.

It is a division, of my application for a patent on internal combustion engines, Se-

rial No. 648,783, filed June 30, 1923.

This invention is a rotary set of chambers into each of which, during successive com-j pressive strokes of the engine acharge of compressed working fluid consisting of a1r and fuel or air alone, as the case may be, is admitted from the compression chamber and from each of which, during successive strokes of the engine, a chargeis released to the. working chamber. The charge of compressed working fluid when released from its chamber may be in the same condition as when admitted or it may be 1n any stage of its combustion. In other Words, a charge is admitted to one of the chambers during each compression cycle, and a charge is released from its chamber during each working cycle, the charge being either in the same condition as upon its admittance or in any stage of combustion. For convenience each of the chambers will be termed a charge-chamber. Each charge-chamber has an inlet and an outlet for communication with the outlet and inlet of the compression chamber and. the working chamber, respectively. with valves for opening and closing the inlets and outlets of the charge-chambers, and the mechanism necessary for their operation, and also to avoid theattendant noise of the same, the set of charge-chambers is continuously rotated by the engine, and while rotating the inlets and outlets communicate with the outlet and inlet of the compression chamber and working chamber, respectively. This rotation is effectedby any suitable means in connection with the engine crankshaft, and rotates twice or more times to each rotation of the crank-shaft in accordance to the number of charge-chambers contained in the set. The set of charge-chambers is applicable to all engines which have separate compression and working chambers, and also to such engines wherein the compression and expansion of the working fluid is effected on opposite faces of a piston in one chamber serving both as a compression'ch'amber and a working chamber.

To dispense One of the several uses or objects of this lnvention is its embodiment in a very high speed and noiseless engine which may be operated on the continuous combustion plan and having a working cycle extending through both strokes of the pistons operating but a single c'rank.

This invention will now be described in reference to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a tandem engine embodying a set of charge-chambers, I

Figure 2 is a transverse section through the inlets of a set of charge-chambers, on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse section through the outlets of the same set of charge-chambers, on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a transverse section on the line l-4 of Figure 1, through the portion of a rotary valve which opens and closes the inlet of the compression chamber.

F1gurc 5 1s a transverse section on the line 5-5 of Figure 1 through the portion of a rotary valve which opens and closes the exhaust outlet.

Figure 6 is a transverse section on the line 6-6 of Figure 1, through the inlet and outlet of the auxiliary working chamber.

Figure 7 is a transverse section on the line 77 of Figure 1, through the outlet of the working chamber and through. the portion of a rotary valve which opens and closes that outlet.

Figure 8 is a transverse section through the inlets of a set of three charge-chambers.

Figure 9 is a transverse section through the outlets of the same set of three chargechambers.

Figure lOis a transverse section through the inlets of another set of two charge chambers- Figure 11 is a transverse section through the outlets of the preceding set of two charge-chambers.

Referring to Figure 1: zand-y are two cylinders in tandem having pistons P and Q, rigidly connected by the piston rod S. piston Q, carries a wrist pin f by which a connecting rod 0 connects the piston Q to the crank pin a of the crank-shaft I) of the engine. Connected with cylinder y are two cylindrical chambers d and 6. Cylinder-g and chambers (Z and e have a com- .cured to a shafts.

mon cover 9, which is provided with an inlet I opening to chamber e. The chamber 6 has an outlet X serving as the exhaust outlet of the engine. Chamber 6 is provided with arotary valve h having portions, adapted to open and close communication between the cylinders z and y through the chamber a, to open and close communication outlet j of the cylinder 3 and with an outlet for communication with the inlet is of the cylinder 2, during the rotation of the set of charge chambers see Figures 2 and 3). A preferred form comprises a hollow cylindrical body i provided at its inner cylindrical portion with chambers R and L extending upwardly and downwardly in a spirally. disposed manner and terminating in the aforementioned inlets and outlets, re-

'spectively. Connected to the lower end of body 2' is a rod Z on the lower end of which is secured a worm-wheel m, meshing with a worm a secured to a shaft 0. Similarly, to the lower end of the rotary valve h is a rod on the lower end of which is secured a worm-wheel (1 meshing with a. worm 9* se Secured to the shafts 0 and s, and the crank-shaft b are chainwheels '26 connected together by a chain 25. The gears m and also 01. and the gears g and 1" are so relatively proportioned, 'mto n and q to 7, that to each two rotations of the crankshaft 6 there are two rotations of the valve 5 other of the charge-chambers to the cylinder h but only one rotation of the body 2'; i In other words, one rotation of the crank-shaft imparts'one rotation to the valve, but imparts only one-half of a rotation to the set of charge-chambers. Consequently, during each compression stroke (upward stroke) one or the other of the charge-chambers is charged with compressed working fluid from the cylinder 3/ above the piston P through its outlet y, and during each workingstroke (downward stroke) a charge of compressed working fluid is released from one or the a through its inlet is. The space in cylinder 3 above the piston P serves as the compres-f sion chamber the space in cylinder 2 above the piston Q, serves as the working chamber, and the space in cylinder 3/ below the piston P serves as an auxiliary working chamber.

There is a one stage compression cycle, and a two stage working cycle; during the first stage of the working cycle vthe working fluid expands between the upper end of cylinder 2 and the top of piston Q; during the second stage it expands between the top of piston Q, and the bottom of piston P, the valve h then being in position permitting its passage from cylinder 2 to cylinder 3 and the outlet of a charge-chamber is open to cylinder .2 during both of the stages.

. The action of the valveh is as follows: the portion it closes the outlet of cylinder 2 shortly before the commencement of the downward stroke and opens it shortly before the end of the stroke, and closes it shortly before the end of the upward stroke, and thus confines a portion of the-working fluid to cushion the piston Q. The portion on closes the exhaust outlet X shortly before the end of the downward stroke and thus confines a portion of the working fluid to cushion the, piston P and it opens the exhaust outlet X shortly before the end of the upward stroke. The portion it closes the inlet of cylinder 3/ shortly after the commencement of the upward stroke and opens it at an early part of the downward stroke.

The action of the set. of charge-chambers is as follows: Referring to the position of parts as shown in Figure l, a charge of compressed working fluid was admitted from the compression chamber into charge-chamber R during the preceding upward stroke and its inlet closed to the compression cham ber immediately before the end of that stroke. By inspection of Figures 2 and 3, it will be seen that'its outlet is closed, but is aboutto open to the working chamber. Remembering that the set of charge-chambers rotates through only 90 while the crank-shaf rotates through 180, it will be seen that uring the early part of the next upward stroke the charge-chamber L will be open to the compression chamber and at the end of that stroke the charge-chamber L will occupy the position shown of chargechainber R. It will also be seen that each charge is confined in its charge-chamber for the duration ofbut a very small part of a rotation of the crank-shaft. In other words, the charge is released almost immediately after its closure in its charge-chamber.

But a set of chargeechambcrs may consist of'three or more charge-chambers, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, which shows corresponding sections to Figures 2 and 3 of a set of three charge-chambers substituting them. Inthis case the-gears m and 11, are so proportioned that the body 11 rotates through 120 while the cranleshafts make one rotation. Referring to Figures 1, 8 and 9, a charge was admitted to charge-chamber R during the preceding upwardstroke and is confined in its charge-chamber. It will be seen that its outlet (see Figure 9) will not open to the working chamber until it has. rotated through 120. In other words, it is confined in its chargechamber for the dura tion of a rotation of the crank-shaft. As the inlets and outlets of the three charge chambers are equally spaced around the center of rotation it is also true in respect to the other charge-chambers. Also, it is obvious with a setof charge-chambers comprising a still greater number and having a correspondingly less angular movement relative to that of the crank-shaft that each charge is confined during a relatively greater angular movement of the crank-shaft.

The set of charge-chambers has now been described in its application to engines wherein the termination of the compression stroke is synchronous with the commencement of the working stroke, and it will now be described in its application to engines wherein the commencement of the compression stroke is synchronous with the commence-- ment of the working stroke. Figure 10 is a section through the inlets of a set of chargechambers as in Figure 2 except that the pis ton effecting the compression stroke is at the commencement instead of the termination of its stroke. Figure 11 is a section through the outlets as in Figure 3 with the piston effecting the working stroke at the commencement of its stroke. The set of charge-chambers hasan angular movement of one-half that-of the crank-shaft as already described in reference to Figures 2 and The inlet of charge-chamber R is about to open to the compression chamber of the piston of which is at the commencement of its compression stroke and the outlet is already closed to the working chamber the piston of which is also at the commencement of a Working stroke. During this compression stroke the inlet of the chargechamber R will receive and confine a charge of compressed working fluid. The following edge on of the inlet and the leading edge as of the outlet will rotate through 90 and by that amount be in a position beyond that shown in Figures 10 and 11. At the end of the next 90 of movement the following edge to and the leading edge :2 of the chargechainber R'will occupy the positions shown in Figures 10 and llof charge-chamber L. Therefore, the charge was confined in charge-chamber R during 90 of its angular movement which amounts to one-half of a rotation of the crank-shaft. -As the inlet and outlets are equally spaced around their center of rotation this is also true of charge-chamber L.

Now the speed of an internal combustion engine is dependent upon the speed'of combustion of the compressed working 'fluid. In an explosion engine the combustion is started by igniting the compressed working fluid, and in a continuous combustion engine by adding the fuel to the compressed working fluid, and in either type by the use of well known means, viz; by an ignition plug or a fuel nozzle attached to. and operating through a hole in the working chamber of the engine. This may be done through the hole V shown in Figure 1. By inspection of Figures 3, 9 and 11, it will be seen that there is provided in connection with the set of charge-chambers a hole '0 adapted for the attachment of either the well known ignition plug or the well known fuel nozzle, and through which hole the combustion of the compressed working fluid may be com menced and even completed during its rotation and confinement in its chargechainbcr prior to its release to the working chamber. With either a slowly igniting mixture or, in a continuous combustion engine, this is a great advantage for the speed of the engine is not then limited by the speed of combustion. It has been shown that the duration of its confinement may be increased without decreasing the angular velocity of the crank-shaft and that a charge of compressed working fluid may be confined in its charge-chamber during any number of strokes of the piston in accordance to the number of -charge-chanibers comprised in the set of the same.

The ,set of chambers may also be used in an engine which may be operated either as an explosion or as a continuous combustion one. The essential dilference in the operation of the two types is the degree of compression of the working fluid and this is determined by the relative cubical capacity of chargeschamber and compression chamber. The chamber (l is adapted for the iiiterchange of sets of charge-chambers having different cubic capacity. Also, the chargechambers, by mere mechanical skill, may be so constructed that their cubical capacity may be readily changed. Also, in the holes at or V either the well known ignition plugs or fuel nozzles along with their accessories may be used as desired.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

i 1. In an internal combustion engine of the type wherein a reciprocating piston imparts a rotary motion to the power shaft of the engine, a compression chamber and a working chamber having at common axis, a piston in each ofthe said chambers and making strokes, in unison, alternately in direction to and from the said power shaft,

' a plurality of charge chambers each adapted to contain and confine a charge of working fluid, means by which, during each stroke in the same direction of the said pistons, a charge of working fluid is compressed from the said compression chamber and confined in one of the said plurality of charge chambers, and also into each of them,'successively, during successive strokes in the same direction of the said pistons, and means by which, during each stroke in the same direction of the said piston, a charge of working fluid is released from one of the said plurality of working chamber having a common axis, a

piston in each of the said chambers and making strokes, in unison, alternately in direction to and from the said power shaft, a plurality of charge chambers each adapted to contain and confine a charge of working fluid, means by which, during each rotation of the said power shaft, a charge of working fluid is compressed from the said compression chamber and confined in one of the said plurality of charge chambers, and also into each of them, successively, during successive rotations of thesaid power shaft, and means by which, dur'ing'each rotation of the said shaft, a charge of working fluid is released from one of the said charge chambers into the said working chamber, and also from each of them, successively, during successive rotations of the said power shaft, the said plurality of, charge chambers rotating as a body and on an axis substantially parallel to the common axis of the said compression and working chambers.

3. In an internal combustion engine of the type wherein a reciprocating piston imparts a rotary motion to the power shaft of the engine, a compression chamber and a working chamber having a common axis, a piston in each of said chambers and making strokes, in unison, alternately in direction to and from the said power shaft, a plurality of charge chambers each adapted to contain and confine a charge of working fluid, means by which, during each rotation of the said power shaft, a charge of working fluid is compressed from the said compression chamber and confined in one of the said,- plurality of charge chambers, and also into each of them, successively, during successive rotations of the said power shaft, and means by which, during each rotation of the said power shaft a charge of working fluid, is released from one of the said plurality of charge chambers into the said working chamber, and also from each of them, successively, during successive rotation of the said power shaft, the said plurality of charge chambers rotating as a body and making not more than one rotation'to each two rotations of the said power shaft.

4. In an internal combustion engine of the type wherein a reciprocating piston imparts a rotary motion to the power shaft of the adapted to contain and confine a charge of working fluid; means by which, during each stroke in the same direction of the said piston, a charge of working fluid is compressed from the said compression chamber and confined in one of the said plurality of charge chambers, and also into each of tliem successively, during successive strokes in the same direction of the said piston, means by which, during each stroke in the same direc- .tion of the said pistons, a charge of working fluid is released from one of the said plurality of charge chambers into the said working chamber, and also from each of them, successively, during successive strokes in the same direction of the said piston, and means by which each charge of working fluid is confined in its charge chamber for a duration greater than that of one stroke of the said pistons.

5. In an internal combustion engine of the type wherein a reciprocating piston imparts'a rotary motion to the ower shaft of the engine, a compression ciiamber and a working chamb'erhaving a common axis, a piston in each of said chambers and making strokes, in unison, alternately in direction to and from the said power shaft, a plurality of charge chambers rotating as a body and on an axis substantially parallel to the said common axis of the compression and working chambers and each of said plurality of charge chambers adapted to contain and confine a charge of working fluid, means by which, during each rotation of the said power shaft, a charge of working fluid is compressed from the said compression chamber and confined in one of the said plurality of charge chambers, and also into each of them, successively, during successive rotations of the said ower shaft,'means by which, during eac rotation of the said power shaft, a charge of Working fluid isreleased from one of the said plurality of charge chambers into the said working chamber, and also from each of them, successively, during successive rotations of the said power shaft, and means by which a combustion of the charge of working fluid is effected prior to its release to the working chamber and during its confinement in its charge chamber.

6. In an internal combustion engine of the type wherein a reciprocating piston imparts a rotary motion to the power shaft of the engine, a compression chamber and a workin unison, alternately in direction to and from the said power shaft, a plurality of charge chambers rotating as a body and on an axis substantially parallel to the said common axis of the compression and working chambers and each "of said plurality of charge chambers adapted to contain and confine a charge of working fluid, means by which, during each rotation of the said power shaft, a charge of working fluid is compressed from the said compression chamber and confined in one of the said plurality of charge chambers, and also intoeach of them,

successively, during successive rotations of the saidpower shaft, means by which, during each rotation of the said power shaft, a charge of working fluid is releasedfrom one of the said plurality of charge chambers into the said working chamber, and also from each of them, successively, during successive rotations of the said power shaft, and means by which the said release of the charge to the working chamber is maintained during tWo successive strokes of the said pistons.

' In testimony whereof I have hereto signed my name this 7th day of June, 1926.

J ()S-EPH G. C. MAN TLE.-

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