Abstract:
The disclosure relates to marine craft which are capable of operating in the hydrofoil mode, many with extensible and retractable hydrofoil posts. Specific embodiments of large commercial hydrofoil craft are described, including those with structure which is the water during hydrofoil travel mode and which can be retracted to partly fit within recesses in the hull during other operating modes. Other craft, including those with hybrid electric drive, are disclosed having un-cooled reciprocating internal combustion engines. A number of arrangements for pistons and cylinders of unconventional configuration are described. These included are toroidal combustion or working chambers, some with fluid flow through the core of the toroid, pistons reciprocating between pairs of working chambers, tensile links between piston and crankshaft, energy absorbing piston-crank links, crankshafts supported on gas bearings. In some embodiments pistons mare rotate while reciprocating. High temperature exhaust emissions systems are described, including those containing filamentary material, as are procedures for reducing emissions during cold start by means of valves at reaction volume exit. Compound engines having the new engines as a reciprocating stage are described.
Abstract:
An internal combustion engine, having a cylinder with a translating piston therein, employs a holding tank connecting, via a valve, to the combustion chamber of the cylinder for receipt of a portion of the engine gasses expelled during a compression stroke for providing that the expansion ratio of an expansion stroke is greater than the compression ratio of the compression stroke. The holding tank is located within a head of the cylinder, and has a single port serving for both ingress and egress of gasses to the combustion chamber. The holding tank is provided with one or more additional passages for connection to one or more additional cylinders in the event that the holding tank is shared among two or more cylinders.
Abstract:
One embodiment of the present invention provides a poppet valve offering an increased valve area, comprising an outer valve head comprising an outer valve port and an inner valve head comprising an inner valve port. The inner valve head is rotatable relative to the outer valve head to align the inner and outer valve ports to open a path through the poppet valve, thereby increasing the effective valve area of the poppet valve. The path created by aligning the inner and outer valve ports can be designed to mix air flowing into a combustion chamber.
Abstract:
An Elevated Expansion-Ratio Internal Combustion Engine has a substantially standard repeating four-stroke sequence for each of a plurality of cylinders. The head of each cylinder has an intake valve, a combustion-gas exhaust valve, and a vapor return valve. A return manifold for vapor connects from respective ones of the cylinders via a plurality of valve assemblies, each of which includes the return valve, into a passage ahead of a beginning portion of an intake manifold. Each valve assembly also has a discharge valve coupled to the return valve via a holding tank for cylinder vapor or gas. Valve stems of the discharge and return valves are coaxial in a single section valve housing or spaced-apart in a two-section valve housing. A quantity of the vapor is received into the holding tank during the compression stroke, and subsequently transferred via the discharge valve to the return manifold.
Abstract:
Methods and apparatus to selectively use engine valves as both intake and exhaust valves and to selectively operate the engine as a 2 cycle or as a 4 cycle engine. In a disclosed embodiment, the intake valves and the exhaust valves, are manifolded together through a small manifold, with the manifold being connectable to the intake manifold or the exhaust manifold through two-way valves. In preferably a camless engine, the engine valves may be controlled to operate the intake valves as intake valves only or to operate as both intake valves and exhaust valves, and to operate the exhaust valves as exhaust valves only or to operate the exhaust valves as both intake valves and exhaust valves. Exemplary embodiments are disclosed.
Abstract:
A two-piece intake assembly such as a coaxial poppet valve includes a main poppet valve with a stem attached to a head and an auxiliary poppet valve movable on the inner valve. A guiding element on the outer valve is configured to receive the inner valve stem, and is connected to an outer valve head configured to mate with the inner valve head and form a seal. The assembly provides a first vent opening formed by the action of a rocker arm on the inner valve stem and a second opening formed by the pressure differential between the combustion chamber and the intake port.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a valve mechanism with a variable valve opening cross section, in which the valve mechanism is disposed at an admission opening of an internal combustion engine and has a gas exchange valve, which is acted on by the force of a valve spring and is displaceable axially back and forth inside a guide by a valve control unit; the position of the sealing slide relative to the gas exchange valve in the axial direction is continuously variable by means of an adjusting unit. It is provided that a sealing slide (10) is disposed coaxially to the gas exchange valve (12), is acted upon by the force of a coupling spring (24), and is displaceable axially back and forth by the valve control unit. The position of the sealing slide (10) is variable in the axial direction relative to the gas exchange valve (12) by means of an adjusting unit.
Abstract:
In a method for opening a valve, which valve separates a flow channel from a working chamber or connects it therewith and which is embodied as a plate valve that projects upon opening into the working chamber, energy is withdrawn from a flow from the working chamber into the flow channel, resulting form the excess pressure within the working chamber upon opening movement of the valve. The withdrawn energy is used for aiding in further opening of the valve.
Abstract:
The invention relates to new and useful improvements in those types of internal combustion engines which employ a single poppet valve to alternately control both the intake and exhaust flows through the same valve port. The exhaust and intake air interact within a common manifold wherein mixing is prevented by means of pneumatic elements comprising a nozzle and diffuser combination which direct the flow. The invention improves the separation of intake air and exhaust gases within the manifold of engines of this character by curving the flow axis of the diffuser such that its exit plane is more or less aligned with the logitudinal flow axis of the exhaust pipe. A means of throttling the engine by proportionally distributing the intake air within the said manifold between the airchest and exhaust gas circuits in a manner relative to the engine speed is a further improvement. The method of indirectly injecting fluid into the engine through the valve well is improved by moving the injection cup nearer to the combustion chamber and by contouring its inner surfaces in contact with the alternately bidirectional flow of the intake and exhaust streams such that the temperature of the evaporated injection fluid is higher.
Abstract:
A double poppet valve apparatus is mounted in a combustion chamber wall. A port is formed in the wall. A first valve member is mounted in the port. A second valve member is concentrically mounted within the first valve member. One or more resilient members are provided for urging each of the valve members into respective seated positions. The first valve member is moved in a first direction and the second valve member is moved in a second direction opposite the first direction. The valve movement is effected by a cam operably engaged with a pair of rocker arms each of which is associated with one of the valve members.