Abstract

An engine comprises at least one cylinder, at least one piston reciprocatable within the at least one cylinder, at least one intake port through a wall of the at least one cylinder, at least one exhaust port through a wall of the at least one cylinder, at least one reciprocatable sleeve valve within the at least one cylinder for controlling porting of one or both of the at least one intake port and the at least one exhaust port, at least one shaft configured to be rotated by reciprocal motion of the at least one piston, a piston drive means coupled to and reciprocatable with the least one piston and a sleeve valve drive means coupled to and reciprocatable with the at least one reciprocatable sleeve valve. An axis of reciprocation the sleeve valve drive means is spaced from and parallel to an axis of reciprocation of the piston drive means of the at least one piston and the axis of reciprocation the sleeve valve drive means is positioned around the circumference of the shaft from the axis of reciprocation of the piston drive means of the at least one piston. This may allow the engine to be more compact and have a reduced physical size compared to some known engines.

IPC Classes  ?

• F01L 5/06 - Slide-valve gear or valve arrangements with cylindrical, sleeve, or part-annularly-shaped valves surrounding working cylinder or piston
• F02B 75/28 - Engines with two or more pistons reciprocating within same cylinder or within essentially coaxial cylinders

Abstract

The invention relates to an opposed piston engine comprising at least one cylinder, at least two pistons arranged to be reciprocated within the same cylinder in an opposed manner, at least one intake port through the cylinder wall, at least one exhaust port through the cylinder wall, at least one shaft arranged to be rotated by reciprocal motion of the opposed pistons, at least one reciprocatable sleeve valve within the cylinder for controlling porting of one or both of the at least one intake port and the at least one exhaust port, a sleeve valve driving mechanism for controlling reciprocal motion of the at least one sleeve valve, and a dwell mechanism. The dwell mechanism is configured to induce at least one period of dwell of the at least two pistons during their respective cycles of piston motion..

IPC Classes  ?

• F01B 7/02 - Machines or engines with two or more pistons reciprocating within same cylinder or within essentially coaxial cylinders with oppositely reciprocating pistons
• F01L 17/00 - Slide-valve gear or valve arrangements with cylindrical, sleeve, or part-annularly-shaped valves surrounding working cylinder or piston
• F01B 9/06 - Reciprocating-piston machines or engines characterised by connections between pistons and main shafts, not specific to groups with rotary main shaft other than crankshaft the piston motion being transmitted by curved surfaces
• F02B 75/28 - Engines with two or more pistons reciprocating within same cylinder or within essentially coaxial cylinders