1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rotating internal combustion engine, and more particularly, a rotary engine.
The ROTARY ENGINE WITH ROTARY POWER HEADS is a device designed to convert the heat energy stored in a fuel into mechanical energy through a process of combustion. The present invention provides an inexpensive, high torque, prime mover for everything from weed eaters to high performance aircraft. The process is one of pure rotation, it has no reciprocating parts, and is of a simple construction. This engine can be used to great advantage in any application that can be or is powered by conventional reciprocating engines and many turbines. The ROTARY ENGINE inherently supercharges and has perfect scavenging of exhaust gases. The ROTARY ENGINE combines the high-speed capabilities of turbines with the positive displacement character of reciprocating engines.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Other types of engines with similar capabilities have to be constructed from stronger, more expensive materials. These engines contain many more moving parts, which have to be machined with much greater difficulty and associated tooling expense. The weight and bulk of the other engines can make them unacceptable or undesirable for some applications. A more efficient alternative is needed.
Numerous innovations for rotary displacement engines have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.
A FIRST EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,144,004, issued on Mar. 13, 1979, to Edwards teaches a positive displacement engine utilizing interlocking vaned rotors and providing for the virtually complete exclusion of spent vapors following the expansion cycle.
A SECOND EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,219, issued on Nov. 8, 1994, to Paul et al. teaches a rotary air compressor with a housing forming an epitrochoidal chamber in which a multilobed rotor with a ring gear eccentrically rotates on an internal central gear in the housing, the rotor dividing the chamber into multiple sub-chambers of changing volume as the rotor rotates, the chamber having intake ports of variable size opening to change the quantity of gas that is compressible and outlet ports having spring biased plunger valves to prevent flow of discharged compressed air back into the compressor.
A THIRD EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,142,758, issued on Nov. 7, 2000, to Taggett teaches a rotary positive displacement engine that includes one or more power rotors, which are acted upon by a pressurized charge of gas, such as steam, and an annular barrier rotor geared for synchronous rotation with the power rotors. The rotors rotate within intersecting cylindrical bores in the engine housing. The power rotors have cylindrical outer surfaces from which opposed vanes extend which are acted upon by the powering charge. The barrier rotor has an outer cylindrical surface, located in close proximity to the cylindrical surface of the power rotors, and ports for delivering the powering charge to the power rotors. The barrier rotor thus forms both a charge delivery mechanism and a barrier between the exhaust ports and the expanding gas powering the engine. Located within the barrier rotor is a stator which has ports in fluid communication with the ports in the barrier rotor when the respective ports are aligned. The location of the barrier rotor is adjustable with respect to the power rotors to permit the clearances between the confronting surfaces of the barrier rotor and the power rotors to be adjusted to extremely tight tolerances under operating conditions, which provides high efficiency operation with very low amounts of contamination of the exhaust gas.
A FOURTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent Office Publication No. 2002/0157636, published on Oct. 31, 2002, to Klassen teaches a two-dimensional rotary displacement device which comprises a housing, an outer rotor and at least one inner rotor. The axes of rotation of the outer rotor and the at least one inner rotor are parallel. A predefined geometrical relationship exists between the outer and inner rotors such that the scale of operative circumference (or diameter) from the inner rotor with respect to the outer rotor is preferably an integer value. In one embodiment, the device is used as a compressor that positively displaces a gas. In a modified embodiment, the device includes an exit port, which has a location that can be adjusted with respect to the housing and is adjustable so as to decrease the pressure differential between an exit chamber and the exit pressure. In another embodiment, the device can be used as an external combustion engine wherein compressed gas is discharged from an exit chamber to a combustion chamber where the volume of gas is increased due to heating of the gas and a portion of the discharge gas is directed to the rotor assembly and the remaining volume of gas can be used for a “hot blow” thrust or other use or directed to an additional rotor assembly to induce a torque to an output shaft attached to the outer rotor of one or both of the rotor assemblies. In another embodiment, a portion of the compressed gas can be used for “cold blow” thrust or other purpose instead of directing all of the compressed gas through the combustor.
A FIFTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent Office Publication No. 2006/0120895, published on Jun. 8, 2006, to Gardner teaches a rotary positive displacement engine includes a compressor housing having a compression chamber therein and a rotor housing having a rotor chamber therein. The rotor housing and compressor housing are in fluid communication and define a main housing having a first end plate, an opposing second end plate, and a center divider plate interposed therebetween, wherein the first and second end, and center divider plates are connected to the main housing. An output member is rotatably supported within the main housing and extends axially therefrom. A compressor is disposed within the compressor chamber and is mounted on the output member. An engine rotor is disposed within the rotor chamber and is mounted on the output member. An engine rotor working end portion defines a combustion chamber, wherein fuel is ignited to rotate the engine rotor, which, in turn, rotates the output shaft.
It is apparent now that numerous innovations for rotary displacement engines have been provided in the prior art that are adequate for various purposes. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they would be inferior to the rotary engine for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.