WO1992014915A1

WO1992014915A1 - Internal explosion engine

Info

Publication number: WO1992014915A1
Application number: PCT/HU1992/000008
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gábor Pál SZTELEK
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-02-14
Filing date: 1992-02-14
Publication date: 1992-09-03
Anticipated expiration: 1993-08-14
Also published as: HU910486D0; HU216128B

Abstract

The invention relates to an internal explosion engine comprising a stationary element (1), at least two moving members (2 and 2') displaceably embedded in the stationary element (1), at least one driving piston (3 and 3') formed by at least one of the moving members (2 and 2') and arranged in an explosion chamber of the stationary member (1), an air intake valve (5) and exhaust valve (6) both operated by the pistons (3 and 3'), and a starter device (19) attached to the stationary element (1), said engine further incorporating at least one hydromotor (4) containing at least one power transmitting piston (7), operated by the driving piston (3), as well as comprising a valve system (9) connected to the power transmitting piston (7) and controlling a fuel injection mechanism (88), further a spacing forming continuous air gap is provided between the driving piston (3) and wall of the stationary element (1), and said power transmitting piston (7) is guided in the stationary element (1) in a bearing (11) separated from the explosion chamber (10).

Description

INTERNAL EXPLOSION ENGINE

The invention relates to an internal combustion or explosion engine comprising a stationary element and at least two moving members embedded displaceably in said stationary element, the engine serving primarily for powering motor vehicles or other machines and exhibiting favourable properties with respect to the environment.

As known, long-standing attempts have been made to re- duce amounts of harmful emissions of exhausted gases and to achieve close-to-perfect combustion conditions in inrernal combustion or explosion engines. Solution of this task has largely been promoted by the introduction of metal-oxide ceramics in the design of explosion chambers. Its only drawback of using ceramics is associated with the lashing effect (lateral forces) of the piston rod pressing the flank of the piston against the cylinder wall, caused by the increased friction giving rise to excessive abrasion in the ceramic coating of the inner -urface of the crankshaft operated cylinder. - The service life of such engines is, consequently, shorter than if the piston reciprocated in the cylinder without friction.

Fuel consumption of the engine is increased with respect to the theoretical level is by the need for covering the friction losses, resulting in additional emission of con¬ taminants.

Several inventions have been registered proposing volumetric displacement types of internal combustion engines in which the piston rod causing said harmful lashing effect by rotating motion.

In practice, quite a number of such rotary-piston type machines or engines have become known, of which, if any, the ankel motor might be regarded as the one having gainded relatively wide acceptance.

With the Wankel motor the piston is, in effect, an epi- cyloidal gear with internal toothing, i.e. a toothed wheel rim. The outer periphery of this gear is not a full circle, but of essentially triangular shape composed of circular arc sections, the diameter of which is equal in all directions. While the crankshaft is rotated, the toothed wheel rim, i.e. the rotary piston, describes cycloidal paths. The area thus ^••swept" by the rotary piston having the shape resembling that of a finger-biscuit. Surrounded by the casing, the sur¬ face of this area provides, in fact, for guiding the moving part of the engine.

Although the mechanism of such rotary-piston type engine is much simpler than that of a reciprocating-piston type engine, its wider-spread application is seriously hampered by the difficulties of prividing proper sealing between the stationary and moving parts, further the accomplishment of controlling the motion is too complicated and costly.

It is known from patent specification DE 2,934,800 a simplified rotary-piston type engine comprising a stationary part and, within it, a piston constituting its toroidal chamber, further two alternately operated, displaceable pistons coaxially guided in said chamber, said pistons being coupled to the output power shaft through releasable locking. A barrier valve is mounted between the inlet and outlet ducts, separating in closed position of said valve the two cylinder sections, and permitting, in its open position, free passage of the rotary pistons. The com¬ pression space is obtained by relative displacement of the two rotary pistons towards each other through a complicated control mechanism. One piston merely confines the working space during the working and compression cycles, i.e. said piston is practically in stationary state. In the next cycle of the revolution, in turn, this piston will play the part of the active (driving) piston, the latter being now in driving connection with the crankshaft. As regards its basic principle, a similar rotary-piston type engine is described in DE 2,909,561. In that specific¬ ation a single rotary piston combined with two barrier valves is used in the torus-shaped cylinder. One of the barrier valves serves also in that case for separating the inlet and outlet ducts from each other, whereas the other barrier valve confines the compression space on the side opposite to the rotary-piston. In the section between the two barrier valves a transfer duct is provided in the cylinder to permit recirculation of the mixture compressed at the frontal side of the rotary-piston, the discharge port of said duct being opened/closed by a separately constrolled valve. Thus, the mixture compressed at the frontal side of the rotary-piston recirculates through this transfer duct into the space behind the rotary-piston, where the ignition of the compressed mixture takes then place.

This rotary-piston, barrier-valve arrangement has been improved by Laszlό Maday, by increasing the number of employed barrier valves and extracting from the cylinder space extended with a compressing section the combustion air or mixture through a valve port and by recirculating it again. A drawback of this solution lies in that this improved rotary-piston type engine cannot operate without a charging compressor.

It is characteristic of several described rotary-piston engines that, while making the already compressed mixture pass through the valve ports - during the angular displace¬ ment of the piston - the mixture is recirculated into a steadily growing volume of space, so that for obtaining the required compression air pressure, the admission of mixture has to take place at a flow rate exceeding the rate of ex¬ pansion. Common features of all these motors are their in¬ capability of eliminating friction between the boundary surfaces, enclosing the expansion chamber the need of using complicated mechanical controls and, in many cases, certain auxiliary equipment to operate the engine. In order to reduce lateral forces arising between cylinder wall and piston surface and responsible for friction, attempt has been made by Frank Stelzer. In his motor in the hollow stationary part of the engine on a reciprocating common shaft bearing a compressing piston is arranged the middle of said shaft, and to each end of said shaft a working piston is attached. All these parts form a single moving member. This design has resulted in a very simple engine providing hydraulic power output. Its only drawback is its unbalanced operation and its unsuitability for attaining compression levels required for Diesel engine operation. The temperature of boundary surfaces of the combustion chamber cannot be maintained at levels required for achieving favourable thermal efficiency figures.

The aim of the present invention is to eliminate the above deficiencies, i.e. to propose an improved engine design both for the rotary and reciprocating types, permit¬ ting friction-free use of ceramics within the combustion/expansion chamber of the stationary element in order to achieve favourable thermal efficiency in a two- stroke forced-scavanging, port-controlled arrangement and suitable for being sequenced on a modular basis.

According to the invention an engine is obtained exhibiting outstanding properties as regards service life, efficiency, simplicity of construction, unlimited extension of power output and in meeting environmental requirements. To achieve these aims the engines developed by Laszlό aday and Frank Stelzer have been improved. In accordance with the present invention by providing at least two moving members in a hollow stationary element each of said moving members composed of at least two pistons, a power transmitting piston, a valve system and a shaft linking these components to form a single rigid unit.

In the stationary part slots or openings are provided, together with which the parts of the moving member con¬ stitute an air suction valve, an exhaust valve, a hydromotor for power transmission and for performing control and blocking functions, further a valve system controlling and blocking the displacement of moving members and controlling the fuel injection mechanism.

Of the two pistons constituting the moving member the one just being in the explosion space of the stationary element is acting as driving piston and the one just being in the compression space is acting as compressing piston.

The driving piston is separated from the stationary ele¬ ment surrounding it by a spacing constituting a continuous air gap and each of the rigid moving. embers are indivi- dually guided in the stationary element in a bedding separated from the combustion space.

At least partially, the wall of the stationary element and/or the surface of the moving member is made, at least partly, of aluminium-oxide ceramics. Air-cooling version of the combustion engine can also be built to circulate cooling air between a suitable duct provided between the stationary element and some kind of a jacket or mantle enclosing it.

The discharge port of the cooling air constitutes the confuser-diffuser assembly of the otherwise known injection, where the nozzle pertaining to this known injection is the outlet port of the exhaust valves.

In the present application, the phrase combustion or explosion engine designates an engine, in which some gas - present in a combustion chamber and confined from at least one side, by a displaceable structural element, i.e. by a piston - is heated to some high temperature - as result of a rapid chemical burning or laser -, aser-initiated particle dissociation - expansion and while expanding causing the displacement of the moving member.

Stationary element is the entire hollow part of the com- bustion engine enclosing the moving members.

Moving member designates a unit composed of structural components rigidly coupled to each other and movable only jointly, the elements of which - comprise an air compression piston, a driving piston, a power transmitting piston, a shaft provided with collars, edges, flanges, borings to

(form a pneumatic and hydraulic valve body) , - or at least a valve body forming a valve system together with the stationary element.

Said driving piston is part of the moving member dis- placeable in the explosion chamber of the stationary element.

Said compression piston is part of the moving member movable in the compression chamber of the stationary element. Said power transmitting piston is formed by parts of the moving members (e.g. the end of the hydraulic piston and its collar, the teeth of mating gears acting as rotary pistons) , forming a hydromotor with the stationary element in which these parts are embedded. A starting unit is connected to the explosion/combustion chamber. Said unit is a component - known in itself - (e.g. fuel ijector nozzle of Diesel engines, laser-maser particle dissociation starter unit the input of which on the side opposite to the combustion chamber is connected to a - known - fuel injection device (e.g. to a high-pressure hydraulic pump) .

Said combustion or explosion chamber or space is the internal space (cavity or chamber) in the hollow stationary member designated for the purpose of laser-maser started particle dissociation.

Said compressing space or chamber is an internal space (cavity or chamber) in the stationary element, connected through an inlet opening of the stationary element with the ambient atmosphere. It can be divided in two sections by a partition wall, and separated from the combustion space by a partition wall provided with a central opening receiving the collared shaft of the moving member passing through said central opening.

Said air inlet and exhaust valves are constituted by assemblies of the air inlet and exhaust openings in the wall confining the combustion space of the stationary element with the moving member.

Said hydraulic control and blocking valve system is a valve body directly or indirectly driven by the moving member, particularly a section of said body provided with shoulders, edges, grooves, openings and being embedded and guided in the stationary element and, owing to its displaceable mounting, it causes, the opening and closing of recesses and openings provided in the embedding of the stationary element and filled with a known hydraulic fluid to be closed or opened in specified order of sequence, further a number of valves (cross valves, flap valves, stroke-control valves known in the prior art) where the flow through either of them blocks the displacement of the other moving member until a required position is reached by the moving member in operation. The combustion engine complying with the present invention is based on the recognition that it is sufficient to guide only a part of the rigid moving member to cause the same rotational or reciprocating displacement of all its other parts. Along its guided path the power transmitting hydraulic fluid is preferably used as lubricant. By means of this hydraulic fluid the process control of a combustion engine can be achieved by applying cross-coupling or interlocking action between the hydromotor and valve systems of at least two moving members or within their valve systems and the blocking of moving members in specific positions, further in another specific position the actuation of the fuel injection device, known and currently used in the vehicle industry, all of them by utilizing well-known and standard practices, in connection with known high-pressure (air-spring) type fluid accumulators or dashpot having a hydraulic driving connection, i.e. a power output to the hydromotors mounted to the wheels of a vehicle for driving them.

The pistons forming the non-embedded part of the guided moving member can be machined to the reuqired precision to provide a continuous air gap between them and the wall or inner surface of the stationary element sufficiently narrow to prevent any considerable escape of gas being under the effect of the explosion pressure during the period of expansion.

Thus, no friction will develop between the pistons and the wall of the stationary elements. Consequently, the sur¬ faces of both parts can be made, at least partially, of alu¬ minium-oxide ceramics having good resistance to heat, low thermal conductivity and high resistance to abrasion and ensuring long service life of the internal combustion engine. Another aspect of the invention is that the mentioned components designed so as to form integral parts of the moving member highly contribute to the single structure of the combustion engine reducing thereby the hazard of being exposed to failures. A further aspect of the invention is that the power transmitting hydraulic drive offers the possibility of parallel or series connection of several engines, whereby the tractive capability can be economically increased in a modular way by starting one engine after the other (e.g. depending on whether a tracting machine is moving alone, but is towing one or more trailers) by shutting down the engines while not required, and the load fuel consumption and wear can be spared at low load operation.

The invention also covers the inclusion of a dashpot- type, high-pressure (hydraulic) fluid accumulator (well known by persons skilled in the art) in the power transmit¬ ting hydraulic drive. In charged condition this accumulator is capable of providing the energy required for cold starting of the engine or for its restarting after a short stop during service (e.g. at a red traffic light) , or for starting simultaneously the wheels or the internal combustion engine of the vehicle by its built-in hydromotor without requiring excessive fuel injection during starting, otherwise characteristic of conventional vehicle engines.

The invention relates to an internal combustion engine comprising a hollow stationary element, at least two moving members displaceably embedded in the stationary element, at least one driving piston constituted by at least one of the moving members, an air inlet valve and an exhaust valve drivingly coupled with the pistons and a starting mechanism connected to the stationary element. Further, the internal explosion engine incorporates a hydromotor drivingly coupled to the driving piston and containing at least one power transmitting piston, as well as a valve driven by the power transmitting piston and controlling the fuel injection mechanism (by which it is controlled, and a spacing forming a continuous air gap is provided between the driving piston and the wall or the inner surface of the stationary element within which the piston moves, and the power transmitting piston is guided in a bedding separated from the combustion/explosion space of the stationary element. Further favourable embodiments of the internal explosion/combustion engine complying with the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

Typical embodiments features and advantages of the internal combustion engine complying with the invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. In the drawings in

Fig. 1 is a sectional drawing of the rotary-type embodi¬ ment of the internal combustion engine complying with the invention, Fig. 2 shows the gear pump applied as hydromotor of the internal combustion engine of Fig. l,

Fig. 3 shows half of the embodiment of the reciprocating-type internal combustion engine complying with the invention, incorporating four moving members, represented as a partial sectional drawing,

Fig. 4 is a sectional drawing of the internal combustion engine of Fig. 1 the section being taken along line IV-IV, with the left half of the stationary element removed,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the moving member of the internal combustion engine complying with that shown in Fig.

Fig. 6 is a scenographic view of the moving member of the internal combustion engine complying with that of Fig. 3,

Fig. 7a is an exploded view of moving members of the internal combustion engine of Fig. 1 and the adjoining hydraulic system,

Fig. 7b is the hydraulic circuit diagram pertaining to Fig. 7a, relating to a half revolution of the other moving member,

Fig. 7c is the hydraulic circuit diagram pertaining to Fig. 7a, relating to the second half of the revolution,

Fig. 8 is the section of the engine of Fig. 3, showing details of hydraulic connections and elements,

Fig. 9 is another embodiment of the internal combustion engine of Fig. 3, with its compression chamber divided in two sections.

Fig. 1 is a section of the stationary element of the rotary type combustion engine together with its moving member 2, the section taken along the plane parallel with shaft 12 showing the characteristic parts of the guided moving member 2 constituting a rigid unit. Parts of the moving member 2 are: an air compressing piston 17, a driving piston 3, a hub 14, a shaft 12, power transmitting pistons 7, valve bodies 20.

The air compressing piston 17 and the driving piston 3 exchange their role between each other depending on whether their assumed position is in the explosion area 10 or in the compressing area 16. Within the explosion area of stationary ele ent 1, the moving members 2 are fitted to the wall of said stationary element through a continuous air gap 22 while the pistons are arranged to cross each other. The shaft 12, power transmitting (rotary) pistons 7, and valve bodies 20 of moving members 2 are shown embedded in the stationary element 1, constituting a valve system 9 together with the latter. In the upper part of the figure a starting device 19 injecting the fuel under high pressure is shown and the way how a transversly positioned laser-maser started (particle dissociating) mechanism 19a adapted to bring about/start the explosion is mounted is symbolically indicated by dotted lines.

In Fig. 2 the power transmitting pistons 7 of one of the moving members 2 of the internal combustion engine presented in Fig. 1 are shown as rotary pistons, show with the moving member 2 and valve system 9 showing in cut-away view the valve body 20. This rotating power transmitting pistons are bedded in said stationary element 1.

In Fig. 3 the stationary element 1 of the reciprocating type internal combustion engine complying with the invention is shown partly in section taken along the plane parallel with the shaft and partly with parts broken away. As a rigidly assembled unit the moving member is shown as consisting of an air compressing piston 17, shaft 12, collar 18 of shaft 12, a driving piston 3, power transmitting piston 7 and valve bodies 20.

The driving piston 3 forming part of the moving member 2 is fitted to the wall of the combustion chamber 10 is fitted to the wall of the explosion area of said stationary element 1 through a continuous air gap 22 around the mantle of the piston 3, whereas at its other parts, it forms a hydromotor 4 comprising a power transmitting piston , and valve bodies 20 is formed with the stationary element 1 form a valve system 9 with. Accomodated between compressing area 16 of stationary element 1 and its explosion area 10, a starter 19 injecting the fuel at high pressure is shown (the way how the injector nozzle and/or the crosswise arranged laser-maser initiated particle dissociating unit are/is indicated in the figure) . In the upper part of Fig. 3 a known injector-shaped opening of the cooling air, composed of confuser 24 and diffuser 25 can be seen.

In Figure 4 the rotary-type explosion engine of Fig. 1 is shwon together with moving member 2 indicating a section taken along the plane perpendicular to the shaft and with one side of the stationary element 1 removed. In the drawing the driving pistons 3 and air compressing pistons 17 are shown in their starting position.

The end position K-K assumed by the moving member 2 after completion of a power stroke (P) is indicated by a broken line, this position being assumed after departing from the position E-G at the start of the explosion and expansion.

Fig. 5 illustrates scenographically and sufficiently detailed way, the rotary moving member with a valve body/system at its left side. Fig. 6 demonstrates an alternating embodiment of the moving member 2.

Fig. 7 shows simplified moving members 2 and 2 ' of a rotary type internal combustion engine, indicating known hydraulic elements of the adjoining hydraulic circuit detailed only as deep as considered indispensable for the operation of the engine. Depending on the position of said moving members 2 and 2 ^r some hydraulic paths are free, others are closed fixing the position of moving member 2 ' as long as the other moving member 2 reaches a specific position.

Fig. 8 shows the stationary element 1 of the re- ciprocating-type internal combustion engine in section taken along a plane laid through the shaft 12 of moving members 2 and 2' . In the figure the hydromotors 4 and 4' formed by moving members 2 and 2' cooperating with the stationary element 1, as well as other known hydraulic fittings attached to the respective connection points of the valve systems 9/9', indispensable for operation are shown. The flanges 23 and 23' of the moving members 2 and 2 ' cooperating with the stationary element 1 constitute, hydromotors 4 and 4', which is combined with said valve system 9/9' is adapted to perform a dual function.

Fig. 9 shows another embodiment of the reciprocating- type internal combustion engine in which the compression space 16 is divided in two sections.

The rotary-type version of the internal combustion/explosion engine complying with the invention performs its two-stroke operation so that one is a working stroke. The working stroke extends from the setting-out position to the point where the end position is reached. Suction-compression act on the air compressing piston 17, and - with the same angular displacement - the expansion and exhaust developing in the explosion area 10 acting on the driving piston 3 take place. The second stroke is the transmission. In the course of transmission the pistons 3 and 17 get from their end position back into the next setting-out position.

In the working stroke, expansion of the exploding gas causes, through the driving piston 3, angular displacement of the rigid moving member 2 and the hydromotor 4 forming part of said moving member 2 recharges a known high-pressure dashpot-type fluid accumulator U.

During the transmitting stroke the fluid accumulator U suuplies said motor 4, turning thereby into their setting- out position the moving members 2, the driving pistons 3 and the compressing pistons 17 constituting parts of said moving members 2.

The vehicle into which the internal combustion engine co*-olying with the invention is mounted is driven by the residual charge of the working-stroke charge remaining in the fluid accumulator U after the consumption used up to perform said transmission stroke. The hydraulic input of the vehicle drive is connected to the fluid accumulator and its outlet stub is coupled directly or indirectly to the hydraulic reservoir or collector T.

Operation of the internal combustion engine complying with the invention can be better understood from Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5; as well as by studying Fig. 7, where the left- and righthand-side elements are distinguished by apostrophes attached to the reference numbers.

To identify the hydraulic fittings known by the designers and technicians working in the practice the following symbols have been used: T commonly known hydraulic fluid feed tank or reservoir provided with a suitable filter, U a usual dashpot-type high-pressure fluid accumulator. The triangle-shape symbols inserted in the lines of the piping indicate non-return flap valves showing the permitted dircetion of flow.

Element 68 is a throttle element permitting passage of fluid above an adjustable pressure, and exhibiting a non¬ return feature.

Elements 69 are hydraulic change-over valves (hand-lever operated) .

Element 88 is a hydraulically operated fuel injection device.

The output energy produced by the expansion of the ignited gas is fed into the fluid accumulator U by an assembly consisting, on the one hand, of the power trans¬ mitting piston 7 constituting a rigid unit with moving member 2 together with the driving piston 3 and, on the other hand, of the stationary element 1, and said fluid is forced into the said accumulator by overcoming the pressure of its dashpot action. The hydraulic fluid can be taken out of the accumulator for driving the internal combustion engine or for forwarding the vehicle. The order of sequence in which the enumerated elements are coupled to each other can easily be followed in the flow diagram of Fig. 7b. In Fig. 4 the setting-out positions of the air compressing piston 17 and driving piston 3 are indicated by H-F and E-G respectively, while their end positions are shown by H-F and K-K.

The route of flow of the hydraulic fluid, whenever led through the

system 9 or 9' , is made to pass through different valves. During each revolution of the rotary type moving members 2 and 2', working and transmisson P+L cycle repeats itself four times.

First, the first working cycle P and the transmission cycle L will be described. In the first working cycle P the pistons 3 and 17 set out from position designated by E-G and pistons 3' and 17' from position designated by H-F. The pressure of the ignited and expanding gas acts on piston 3 with a driving moment causing clockwise rotation.

During cycle P, piston 3 turns from position Ξ-G into end position K-K. During that cycle the pistons of the moving member 2' remain in their H-F position, because hydromotor 4 ' is prevented from angular displacement in reverse sense by a flap valve (non-return valve) mounted between feed tank T and hydromotor 4, and it is blocked against angular displacement in forward sense by a respective valve 9b of valve system 9, thus:

During displacement of moving member 2, the hydraulic fluid supplied by the feed tank is pressed by hydromotor 4 through the appointed valves 9a and 9'a of the valve system into the fluid accumulator U.

During the same time, a torque of opposite sense acts on piston 3' of moving member 2', with piston 3' pointing to point M, but the hydromotor 4' is prevented from reverse sense rotation by a non-return valve mounted between feed tank T and hydromotor 4' (due to the inco pressibility of the fluid) .

That is why the piston 3' mounted in point H can hold against the gas pressure.

In fixing the position of the moving member 2 ' during explosion no part is played by the just closed flow route through valve system 9. During start-up an appointed valve 9b of valve system 9 has a particular task, i.e. to prevent piston 3' from turning beyond position H, until piston 3 has reached position K.

When piston 3 gets to position K, valve 9b of valve system 9 having been in closed position up to this moment will open, removing thereby the blocking. The transmitting cycle starts, during which hydromotor 4 is driven by the high pressure fluid supplied by the fluid accumulator U through the appointed valve 9c of valve system 9, said hydromotor causing the angular displacement of piston 3' from its end position H-F to its (new) setting-out position E-G, and, respectively, causing angular displacement of piston 3 from its end position K-K to its (new) setting-out position H-F; again the high-pressure fluid passing through the other appointed valve 9d drives hydromotor 4 ' , then flowing through an appointed valve 9'c of valve system 9' and through a valve 69 opening beyond a known adjustable pressure limit, and having non-return and throttling features, the fluid is fed back into the storage tank T. During this cycle a rigid hydraulic linkage is estabished between moving members 2 and 2 ' by making the same flow pass through the hydromotors 4 and 4' of both moving members 2 and 2' .

Reaching the end of the transmission cycle, the flow of high-pressure fluid supplied by the fluid accumulator U through the appointed valve 9e of valve system 9 operates a known fuel injection device 88, by which the fuel is injected through the starter 19 under high pressure into the compressed air present in the ignition space, and the rapid combustion or explosion thus initiated causes the start of the next, second working cycle P out of the adjoining second transmission cycle L.

The control of the second P and L cycles is an exact mirror image of the first, i.e. what has been done by elements 4 and 9 in the first cycle, the same functions will be performed by elements 4' and 8' in the second cycle and vice versa, as clearly shown in Fig. 7c.

In the third and fourth cycle P and L the same control and blocking functions are performed by means of the same fluid flow led through the same appointed valves of valve systems 9 and 9', as in the first and second cycle, as it is apparent from Fig. 7, since a 180-degree rotational symmetry exists between the moving members. In the preceding paragraphs, the normal operative conditions have been described.

In order to start the engine connecting points of feed tank T and fluid accumulator U are interchanged by means of the known hydraulic route changing valve comprising a plurality of controlled flow paths. During the period of starting the engine no explosion takes place, by which the driving torque is provided in normal operation. In the period of starting, in the first P cycle, the hydromotor 4 is driven by the pressure of the fluid accumulator through respective valves of valve systems 9 and 9', under the effect of the high-pressure flow the piston is moved from position E-G (or from some intermediate position) into position K-K, while the other moving member is blocked - corresponding to the first position according to Fig. 7 - by the closed position of the appointed valve of valve system 9. Thereby the condition corresponding to the end position is assured.

The displacement from the end position to the starting position takes place already in a way identical with that of the condition of normal service controlled by the same valves, and the injection of the fuel into the combustion space is brought about by the high-pressure flow supplied by the fluid accumulator U, as described in the foregoing paragraphs.

Shut-down of operation of the internal combustion engine is done by cutting off the (vehicle driving) flow supplied by the fluid accumulator U, and, as result of the further increase of pressure in the accumulator, by the resistance/reaction acting on the hydromotor 4 and 4' building up to a level equal to the driving force.

For the very first start-up of the internal combustion engine complying with the invention, the known fluid accumulator has to be filled up (using an electric storage battery, electric motor, and a hydraulic pump) .

With normal shut-downs, the fluid accumulator always remains in charged condition, so that the restarting can take place using this charge. Through the known route changing valve set into start-up position the pressure of the fluid accumulator, acts on the valve system of both sides of the engine, but the angular position of the moving members will determine as from the hydromotor of which side will the flow route be set free by the valve system.

The reciprocating type of internal combustion engine (shown in Figs. 3, 6, 8, 9) operates in two strokes so that in the working stroke P starting form position S in the upper part of Fig 8, the expansion following explosion in the explosion area 10 takes place in the course of a single displacement of the piston form point S to point W, with simultaneous precompression in the compression space 16, as well as the exhaust at the end of the expansion and with the progress of exhaust, the passage of precompressed air from the compression space 10, through an opening of the partition wall 15 provided in the stationary element, into the explosion space, i.e. into the section formerly occupied by the exhaust gas. During all the above, the moving member 2 gets from its setting-out position S into its end position W. Moving member 2 ' is shown in this end position W' in the lower half of Fig. 8.

The other stroke is the transmitting stroke. In the course of transmission the moving member 2 gets from its end position W' to its setting-out position S' During this dis¬ placement the air transferred previously during the working stroke P into the combustion chamber 10 is compressed to the end pressure of compression, and simultaneously fresh air is sucked in (through an air intake flap valve 29 ' mounted in the compression-side wall of the stationary element 1 or in the air compressing piston 17'), filling up the entire com- pression area 16'.

During compression, as well as during expansion, the opening in the partition wall 15 is kept closed by collar 18 of the shaft. In the working stroke P the known dashpot type high-pressure fluid accumulator U is charged by the power transmitting piston 7 forming part of the moving member 2. During the transmitting stroke the moving member 2 is moved by the hydraulic pressure of the fluid accumulator U acting in the area 4 on the flange 23 of the shaft of the moving member 2 in the direction of working stroke L. The difference between the used and pumped amount of the hydraulic fluid can be utilized for driving the vehicle equipped with an engine complying with the invention.

Functioning of the reciprocating version of the internal combustion engine complying with the invention will be clear from Fig. 8, showing the moving member 2 in working stroke P starting at point S indicating its setting-out position, while moving member 2' is shown at the beginning of the transmitting stroke L at its end position indicated by point W' (in the state just being about to start in direction of point S'). The two moving members 2 and 2' move alternately, in directions opposed to each other.

The moving member 2 is in its setting-out position marked with S in the figure at the instant of explosion. In the course of expansion and exhaust it gets into position W, i.e. into its end position. This displacement is brought about by the expansion of the gas following explosion and acting on the driving piston 3.

The moving member 2 consists of driving piston 3 and power transmitting piston 7 forming together a rigid unit, therefore for the hydraulic control and blocking of moving members 2 and 2' an actuating scheme has been adopted acting crosswise on the valve system of moving members 2 and 2' and on the power transmitting pistons 7 and 7 ' . To the moving members 2 and 2' hydraulic fuel injection devices 88 and 88' are coupled, which are controlled from the appointed valve of the respective valve system 9 and 9' of moving members 2 and 2', which have just reached their setting-out position S. Operation energy is supplied by fluid accumulator T to said injection devices 88 and 88'.

Moving members 2 and 2' are provided with flanges 23 and 23' respectively, that are immersed into chambers X and Y, thus forming double acting hydraulic cylinders.

The moving members 2, 2' of the reciprocating internal combustion engine complying with the invention can be continuously kept in operation from a high-pressure dashpot type fluid accumulator U and connected through a hydraulic route changing valve set into starting position, by alternately charging and discharging of spaces X and Y, and X' and Y', forming said double-acting pistons.

The alternate charging and discharging is controlled by the valve system 9/9' by directing the flow of fluid passing from the fluid accumulator U through the change-over valve 69 to the respective side of flanges 23 and 23' of moving elements 2 and 2' respectively, further by providing free passage of flow from the opposite-side spaces through route- changing valve 69 to the feed tank T. At that time, the flanges 23 and 23' operate as hydromotors 4 and 4', causing the driving pistons 3 and 3' of the moving members 2 and 2' move while said pistons 3 and 3' will compress the air present in the explosion area, (i.e. in the chamber 10 of Fig. 8) , and in proper position of moving member 2 (it is just in that position in Fig. 8) the pressure of the fluid accumulator U operates the known fuel injection device by means of the flow of fluid passing through it, through route changing valve 69, through valve system 9/9' and through the valve of valve system 9, causing said fuel injection device to inject fuel taken from the tank 70 into the explosion chamber 10 through the starter 19. The explosion pressure, i.e. the expansion displaces the moving member 2 from point S in direction of W during working stroke P, the hydromotor 4 of said moving element 2 composed of the power trans¬ mitting piston 7 and of a chamber Z of the stationary element 1, with route-changing valve 69 being in starting position, the fluid will be fed into feed tank T, then by setting the route-changing valve 69 into normal service position, the fluid is fed back into the fluid accumulator U. While in the working stroke P the moving element 2 is displaced from point S toward point W, at the same time the fluid flows from the fluid accumulator U into the increasing space Z through the route-changing valve controlled by the valve system 9/9' and in the transmitting stroke L' it causes displacement of the moving member 2' from point W' , toward S' and compresses the air in expansion chamber 10' by means of driving piston 3'. When a specific point of moving member 2' reaches position S', the hydraulic fluid is forced from the fluid accumulator U through the route-changing valve 69 through valve system 9/9', and through the corresponding valve of valve system 9' into fuel injection device 83, from where the fluid is discharged into feed tank T. Thereby, from the injection device 88 the fuel taken from fuel tank 70 is injected through starter 19' into explosion space 10, so that now the driving pressure arises at the driving piston 3' of moving member 2' and the fluid is pressed by hydromotor 4' (now being already in service position) through the change-over valve 69 into the fluid accumulator U. Each of the spaces X, Y and X', Y' is linked up with the valve system 9/9' through two connections. The internal connections serve for discharging the respective spaces, whereas the external links are connected to the controlling valve system 9/9' for the purpose of charging the chambers opposite to the former.

The flanges 23 amd 23' of moving members 2 and 2' reach the internal connections before the end of their displace¬ ment, so that these connections are shut off by their lateral (mantle) surfaces acting as valve bodies, and up to the end of the displacement, the fluid is pressed from the chambers X, Y or alternately from the chambers X', Y' through the external connections into the valve system 9/9', forcing the valve body of the valve system 9/9' to perform an alternating motion. Consequently, movement of the two moving members 2 and 2' are synchronized by said valve system 9/9' .

The hydromotors 4 and 4' serve for feeding the fluid accumulator U. Charging of spaces X, Y and X', Y' consume the charge of the fluid accumulator U. The difference of the two volumes is led out for useful driving purposes (e.g. for driving the wheels of the vehicle) , then feed back to tank T.

For shutting-down the operation of the internal combustion engine the hydraulic power output of the fluid accumulator ϋ is closed and after a short period of con¬ tinued running when the state of equilibrium with the forces resulting from further explosions is attained, the engine comes to a halt. For restarting, with the route-changing valve set into "starting" position, moving member 2 or 2' will start in direction P and the other moving member in direction L, as determined by the momentary position of the valve body within the valve system 9/9'.

Both versions of the engine may be equipped with safety valves enabling separation of fluid accumulator ϋ, supply tank T, hydromotors 4 and 4', respectively. These safety valves may be included into said route changing valve 69. Either of the two versions of the internal explosion engines complying with the invention can be provided with a jacket, mantle or outer housing to form a duct of cooling air. An outlet 28 of the duct of cooling air in a known Venturi-injector arrangement can be connected to the outlet of the exhaust valves 27, forming a nozzle 26, and thereby said outlet 28 can be kept below atmospheric pressure to act as a suction inlet whereby the circulation of the cooling air can be provided without using a fan. This arrangement may offer special advantages under hot climatic conditions and with vehicle engines operated at high altitudes. Combining a plurality of engines to form a modular system increases the service life of engines by the possibility of shutting down modules at half or quarter load, preventing their idle running and avoiding unnecessary wear thereby also. The power output of any existing drive can be increased εtepwise any time later by adding internal combustion engine modules and running them as required.

The invention covers the arrangement in which several hydromotors constitute part of the moving member in such a way that with the connection or disconnection of hydromotors the quantity of fuel supplied per working stroke can also be varied.

Although the description of both variants of the internal combustion engine complying with the invention has been given, i.e. for the rotary and reciprocating designs, specifying the structural elements indispensable for their operation, the invention covers such arrangements as well, where they are supplemented by solutions, mechanisms and fittings pertaining to the routine knowledge of designers and technicians. Among others such additions improving the operating characteristics can be mentioned, as e.g.

- elements of the valve system adjustable to forward and backing motion, - a damper is installed into the hydraulic system to avoid fluid impacts, expressive pressure fluctuation,

- flow limiting passages and additional reverse-flow cataracts are provided,

- max. and min. pressure li iters, blow-off fittings, an explosion elements, safety fittings are installed,

- bubble separators, deaerators and bleeders, additional fluid accumulators, buffer-spring fluid or pressure-storage tanks can be added.

The internal combustion engine complying with the invention is of simple design, cheap and easy to maintain, consequently its operation is reliable and economical.

The main advantagesof the structural features of the engine complying with the invention are as follows:

- No friction arises while the piston(s) is(are) displaced in the explosion space, hence the ceramic surfaces offer high service life. Due to the favourable thermal efficiency figures resulting from the ceramic surfaces of the explosion space, the use of rape-seed oil, animal fats (carrion fat), methane alcohol, and other fuels (less harm¬ ful to the environment) is rendered possible, and the combustion of fuel is more perfect. By burning less fuel more perfectly, and keeping the present motorization level, flora of the Earth can be rescued.

Claims

C L A I M S

1. Internal explosion engine comprising a stationary element (1), at least two moving members (2 and 2 ' ) dis¬ placeably embedded in the stationary element (1) , at least one driving piston (3 and 3') formed by at least one of the moving members (2 and 2') and arranged in an explosion chamber of the stationary member (1), an air intake valve (5) and exhaust valve (6) both operated by the pistons (3 and 3'), and a starter device (19) attached to the station¬ ary element (1) , said engine further incorporating at least one hydromotor (4) containing at least one power trans- r.itting piston (7) , operated by the driving piston (3) , as well as comprising a valve system (9) connected to the power transmitting piston (7) and controlling a fuel injection mechanism (88) , further a spacing forming continuous air gap is provided between the driving piston (3) and wall of the stationary element (1) , and said power transmitting piston (7) is guided in the stationary element (1) in a bearing (11) separated from the explosion chamber (10) .

2. Internal combustion engine as claimed in Claim 1, characterized by two rotary pistons (3 and 3', 17 and 17') being fixed to a hub (14) , said hub (14) constituting a rigid rotary moving member (2, 2') with said two hubs (3, 3', 17, 17') and a shaft (12), further in the stationary element (1) two moving elements (2 and 2') are embedded in a way independently rotatable with respect to each other, but the displacement between them being limited to an angle smaller than 180°, and mounted in a position crossing each other and dividing one of the chambers of the stationary element (1) in four sections, and to each sϊ tft at least one hydromotor (4, 4') and to each moving member (2, 2') at least one valve system (9, 9') is coupled for hydraulically controlling the fuel injection mechanisms (88and 88') and for hydraulically fixing to each moving member (2 or 2') the other moving member (2'or 2), further said air inlet valve (5) and exhaust valve (6) are formed by openings provided in the wall of the stationary element (1) and co-acting with the mantle or superficies of the moving members (2, 2'), as well as the angulary displaceable moving members (2 and 2') are guided in a bearing separated from said chamber of the stationary element (1) divided in four sections, further a spacing is provided forming a continuous air gap (22) between the moving elements (2 and 2') and the wall of the stationary element (1) .

3. Internal combustion engine as claimed in Claim 1, characterized reciprocating by a stationary element (1) being of cylindrical shape and guiding alternatingly movable members (2, 2') and having at least one compression space (16) and an explosion space (10) divided by at least one partition wall (15) arranged crosswise to the centre line of said stationary element, where the part of the moving member (2 and 2') constituting the driving piston (3 and 3') is arranged in the part comprising the explosion space (10) of the stationary element (1) , and the part of the moving member (2, 2') constituting the air compressing piston (17, 17') is accommodated axially in the part of the stationary element (1), comprising of the compression space (16), said two pistons (2, 17; 2', 17') being connected with each other and with the hydromotor (4, 4') by a rigid shaft (12), and the section of the latter shaft (12) between the driving piston (3) and air compressing piston (17) being led through an opening (30) of the partition wall (15) , and within this shaft section a collar (18) with a diameter increasing toward the driving piston (3) is provided, this collar (18) together with the opening (30) provided in the partition wall constituting an air inlet valve (5) , further on the section of the stationary element (1) enclosing the explosion space (10) , and to the port and/or to the air compressing piston (17) at least one air-inlet flap valve (29) is connected, and in the part of the stationary element (1) comprising the explosion space (10) , the exhaust valve (6) is constituted by at least one exhaust opening (27) co- acting with the jacket surface of the driving piston (3) provided at a distance from the partition wall corresponding to the length of the working stroke (P) of the driving piston.

4. Internal combustion engine as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that said walls of the stationary element

(1) at least partially and/or surfaces of the moving members

(2) displaceable in the stationary element (1) are at least partially made of or covered by aluminium oxide ceramics.

5. Internal combustion engine as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that said exhaust opening (27) directly or indirectly connected,is with a cooling air outlet (28) so that the exhaust opening (27) os directed into the cooling air outlet part (28) to form a nozzle of a known injector (25) consisting of a confuser (24) and a diffuser (25) .

6. Internal combustion engine as claimed in Claim 2 , characterized by the two pistons attached to said hub (14) of the shaft (12) of the moving member (2) mutually alternating their functions, in turns acting as air compressing piston (17) while moving in the compression space (16) of the stationary element (1) and a driving piston (3) while moving in the explosion area (10) .

7. Internal combustion engine as claimed in Claim 2, characterized in that a part of the shaft (12) of the moving member (2) located in the seating (11) is adapted to form both said hydromotor (4) and said valve system (9) , further there is at least one common valve system (9) in controlling and driving connection with two moving members (2 and 2 ' ) .

8. Internal combustion engine as claimed in Claim 3, characterized by having at least two air inlet flap valves (29 and 29') and a second partition wall (15) connected to the compression space (26) , so that the compression space (16) is divided in two sections (16 and 16') by said second partition wall (15') supporting flap valves (29'), adapted to form an air compressor with two chambers and in the middle of that partition wall (15) an opening (30) receiving said shaft (12) of the moving member (2) is provided.