Reciprocating engine

• US 6,552,450 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2001
• Issued: 04/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John Thomas Harty, William Thomas Harty
• Original Assignee: John Thomas Harty, William Thomas Harty
• Inventors: Harty, John Thomas, Harty, William Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Nestor
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mohandesi, Iraj A
• Application Number:
  US09/878,228
• Publication Number:
  US 20020185920A1
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 310/16, 310/24, 310/12, 310/13
• US Class Current: 310/16
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 33/14 wherein the alternate energisation and de-energisation of the two coil systems are effected or controlled by movement of the armatures

Abstract

A reciprocating engine has at least one cylinder forming an inner chamber, at least one piston reciprocatingly movable in the inner chamber of the at least one cylinder, a unit for converting a reciprocating movement of the piston to move an outside object, a unit for reciprocatingly moving the at least one piston in the at least one cylinder the reciprocatingly moving unit including magnet elements with at least one electromagnet connected with the cylinder and at least another electromagnet connected with the piston, so that when a polarity of the magnet elements is changed, a magnetic interaction of the electromagnets with one another causes the reciprocating movement of the piston.

Claims

1. A reciprocating engine, comprising at least one cylinder forming an inner chamber;

at least one piston reciprocatingly movable in said inner chamber of said at least one cylinder;

means for converting a reciprocating movement of said at least one piston to move an outside object;

means for reciprocatingly moving said at least one piston in said at least one cylinder, said reciprocatingly moving means including magnet means with at least one electromagnet connected with said cylinder and at least another electromagnet connected with said piston, so that when a polarity of said magnet means is changed, a magnetic interaction of said electromagnets with one another causes said reciprocating movement of said piston; and

means for allowing air to move out of said cylinder when air is displaced by said reciprocating movement of said piston in front of said piston and to move air into said at least one cylinder behind said piston.

2. A reciprocating engine as defined in claim 1;

and further comprising means for changing a polarity of said magnet means so that said electromagnets initially have same polarities and therefore said electromagnet connected with said piston is repelled from said electromagnet connected with said cylinder and move said piston away from a corresponding portion of said cylinder, while when a polarity is changed said electromagnet of said cylinder attracts said eletromagnet of said piston and therefore said piston moves toward said portion of said cylinder.

3. A reciprocating engine as defined in claim 1, wherein said magnet means include two further electromagnets with one further electromagnet connected to said cylinder and another of said further electromagnets connected to said piston, said electromagnets of said cylinder being mounted at opposite ends of said cylinder, while said electromagnets of said piston being mounted at opposite sides of said piston, said switching means being formed so that when one of said electromagnets connected with said cylinder attract one of said electromagnets connected with said piston the other of said electromagnets connected with said cylinder repel the other of said electromagnets connected with said piston.

4. A reciprocating engine as defined in claim 1, wherein said magnet means further have another electromagnet connected with said cylinder, said electromagnets connected with said cylinder being mounted at opposite ends of said cylinder, said means for switching polarity being operative so that one of said electromagnet of said cylinder repel said electromagnet of said piston, while the other electromagnet of said cylinder attracts said electromagnet of said piston, and when the polarity is switched the other electromagnet of said cylinder repels said electromagnet of said piston and the one electromagnet of said cylinder attracts said electromagnet of said piston.

5. A reciprocating engine as defined in claim 1;

and further comprising another piston reciprocatingly movable in said at least one cylinder and provided with an electromagnet; and

means for connecting said pistons with one another, so that said electromagnet of said cylinder simultaneously magnetically interacts with both said electromagnets of said both pistons.

6. A reciprocating engine as defined in claim 1;

and further comprising another cylinder provided with another electromagnet and another piston movable in said another cylinder and provided with another electromagnet, said pistons of said cylinders being connected with one another for joint reciprocating movement, so that if said magnet means in one of said cylinders fail, said magnet means in the other of said cylinders operate and provide reciprocating movement of both said pistons in both said cylinders.

7. A reciprocating engine as defined in claim 1, wherein said allowing means is formed so as to supply the air moved out of said cylinder for cooling of the reciprocating engine.

8. A reciprocating engine as defined in claim 1, wherein said polarity switching means include sensor means sensing a position of said at least one piston, and control means operative in response to a signal produced by said sensor and changing a polarity of said magnet means.

9. A reciprocating engine as defined in claim 8;

and further comprising a crankshaft connected with said at least one piston, said sensing means being formed as a sensor which senses a position of said crankshaft.

10. A reciprocating engine as defined in claim 1, wherein said switching means is formed so that during a movement of said at least one piston in one direction a gap remains between said electromagnet of said piston and said electromagnet of said cylinder preventing a direct contact of said electromagnets of said piston and said cylinder.