March 25, 1947. R. D. BRUEGGER 2,417,910 INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE 2. Sheets-Sheet l

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March 25, 1947. R. D. ERUEGGER 2,417,910 INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE

Patented Mar. 25, 1947 2,417,910

UNITED STATES PATENT of FICE 2,417.9?0 INTERNAL-COMBUSTON ENGINE Robert E. Bruegger, Chicago, A. Application June 20, 1942, Seria I No. 447,75 2 Claimis. (Cl. '74——44) 2 This invention relates to an internal combus of the arc of the shafts while the upward tion engine, and more particularly to an engine of the encompasses a Smaller por equipped With an inproved mechanism for trans tion of the arc. mitting power from the to the In the embodiment of the invention described Or Crank Shafts. y herein and referring particularly to Fig. 1, the An object of the invention is to provide in an internal combustion engine may be equipped With internal combustion eigiine, increased power with a conventional block () and a cylinder conventional piston and cylinder construction. head . The cylinder block C includes a jacket Another object is to provide a longer stroke for 42 for water or other cooling medium and pro the piston in an internal combustion engine with 0 vides a cylinder wall 3 within which may be Out increasing the crank arm displacernent in the received a is of the sleeve type. crank shaft. Still as other object is to provide The É4 may be of the conventional mechanism for increasing the portion of the arc construction well known in the art and will not be of the crank shaft in which the piston is under described in detail herein. The valve may include pOWer', and at the saiiRe time to decirea.se the por 15 a pair of cylindrical sleeves 5 and 6, one dis tion of the al'C of the crank Shaft in which the posed within the other within the cylinder wall. pistol accomplishes the return stroke. A further The sleeve 5 may be equipped with apertures 0bject is to provide for the more rapid expulsion and 8, while the inner sleeve 6 may be provided of exhaust gaSesii, an intel'nal combustion engine with apertures 9 and 2). Connecting rods 2 by providing in combination with a crank shaft 20 and 22 mounted on crank arms of Suitable crank Which rotates at a uniforn. Speed, a piston which shafts are connected to the sleeves 5 and 6 in owes more rapidly on the upward stroke than respectively and are adapted to reciprocate the On the downward stroke. sleeves vertically within the cylinder 3. When Another object of the invention is to provide the piston 23 in the cylinder 3 is at the upper a nechanisia in an internal combustion engine portion of its exhaust, stroke, the openings and for transmitting power from the pistons to the 23 are adapted to be brought into register So as to crank shafts and at the saine time avoiding any bring the inlet port 24 into communication. With tendency of the piston to move laterally within the chamber 25 at the upper portion of the cylin he cylinder. Still another object is to provide a der. Similarly, when the piston 23 is at the dual crank shaft construction wherein the tend 30 lower portion of its power stroke, the openings 8 ency toward lateral thrust of the piston rod and and 9 are adapted to be brought into register the piston Secured thereto is balanced. A further to permit conjunication between the exhaust object is to reduce cylinder wear and to make port 26 and the chamber 25 at the upper portion feasible the use of of the sleeve type in an of the cylinder. internal combustion engine by reason of the 35 The cylinder head may be of conventional elimination of side thrust in the piston. construction and is mounted on the block D, the Other features and advantages will appear gasket 2 serving to seal the junction. A spark from the following specification and drawings, plug 28 is received within the head and extends in which into the chamber 25 at the upper portion of the Fig. 1 is a Vertical Sectional view of the im. 40 cylinder. proved engie showing a single piston and the The piston 23 may also be of conventional con dual crank shaft, construction; and Fig. 2 is a struction and is provided with piston rings 29 and Siiniilar vertical Sectional view of a modified form with a wrist pin 36, to which the elongated piston of the invention. rod 3 is pivotally attached. The invention contemplates a dual crank shaft 45 To the cylinder block may be secured the construction wherein the pistons are equipped crank case 32, which in turn receives the crank With depending piston rods which are pivotally case pan 33, in accordance with conventional con secuted to laterally-extending connecting rods struction. A pair of crank shafts 36 and 35 are Secured to the crank shafts. The dual crank disposed on opposite sides of the piston rod 3 shafts are disposed on opposite sides of the piston and may be supported by Suitable bearings (not in order to balance any tendency for lateral shown) of the conventional type. The crank thrust of the piston within the cylinder. The shafts 33 and 35 are equipped with crank arms 36 linkage between the piston and the crank shafts and 37 respectively and counterbalances 38 and is so constructed that, the down stroke or power 39 opposite the crank arms. Bearings A and 4 Stroke of the piston encompasses a large portion 5 of conventional construction pivotally support the 2,417,910 4. connecting rods 42 and 43, which at their Oppo reaches the bottom of its stroke, the valves fs site ends are pivotally mounted at 44 and 45 re and 6 are shifted so that the apertures 8 and spectively on the lower end of the piston rod 3. f3 are brought into alignment and bring the The connecting rods 42 and 43 should be of such chamber 25 into communication with the ex length that when the piston 23 is at the top of haust port 26. As the piston rises to the upper its stroke, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, the portion of the cylinder, the exhaust gases are crank arms 36 and 37 are disposed at a relatively forced out of the cylinder through the exhaust Small angle above the horizontal on the outside port, 26. portion of the cycle of each. As shown, this an When the piston is at the top of its stroke, gile is in the neighborhood of 25°. Preferably, O the Connecting rods and crank arms are in the the angle is between 5 and 65° with respect to the position shown in full lines in Fig. i. As the pis horizontal. tOn moves downwardly on its power stroke, the The crank shafts 34 and 35 are equipped re piston rod 3 moves downwardly and carries with spectively with gears 46 and 4. A large gear 48 it the connecting rods 42 and 43, which in turn of the internal-external type is arranged to mesh 15 draw the crank arms 36 and 3 of the crank with the gears 46 and 47, the internal gear 49 shafts 34 and 35 about an arc until the position meshing With the gear 46, and the external gear shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 is reached at the 50 meshing with the gear 47. The large gear 48 bottom of the piston stroke. It will be noted is mounted on a shaft 5, which may be used as that during the downward stroke of the piston, a power takeoff for the engine. 20 the crank arms travel through an arc of approxi In the embodiment of the invention shown in mately 217°. . Fig. 2, the engine is equipped with poppet type After the piston reaches the bottom of its valves, and the dual crank shafts are provided stroke, the crank shaft 34 continues to rotate in With gears which mesh directly with each other a clockwise position, while the crank shaft 35 to Synchronize the movement of the . 25 continues to rotate in a counter-clockwise posi In this construction, the cylinder block 52 is pro tion. This rotation brings the crank arms back vided with a jacket 53 for water or other cooling to the original position shown in full lines in Fig. liquid, and forms a cylinder 54 receiving the con 1. During this movement, the crank arms travel ventional piston 55. The cylinder head 56 is also through an arc of approximately 143. of conventional construction and receives a spark 30 Since the crank shafts rotate at uniform speed, plug 47 and valves 58 of the conventional type. the upward movement of the piston which is en The valves are operated by a cam shaft 59 in ac Compassed by a smaller arc in the rotation of the Cordance with the usual practice in internal com crankshaft must be carried out more rapidly than bustion engines. the downward stroke of the piston. Accordingly, The crank case 69 and crank case pan 6 in 35 the exhaust gases in the cylinder at the end of clude the dual crank shafts 62 and 63. The con the power stroke of the piston are removed more necting rod and piston arm construction are the rapidly than is possible in the conventional in Same as that shown in Fig. 1 and need not be ternal Combustion engine. again described in detail. The movement of the crank arms of the crank The crank shafts 62 and 63 are equipped with 40 shafts through a large portion of the arc of the gears 64 and 65 which are arranged to mesh with same during the down stroke of the piston means each other to synchronize the movement of the that on the power stroke of the piston, a greater crank shafts. A suitable housing 66 may be pro portion of the arc of movement of the crank vided at one end of the crank case for enclosing arms is encompassed, and accordingly greater the large gears 64 and 65. By reason of the mesh power will be obtained from this power stroke. At ing of the gears 64 and 65 to Synchronize the the same time, a longer piston stroke is possible movements of the crank shafts 62 and 63, the for a given crank arm radius than would be power takeoff from the engine may be made at possible with the conventional type of linkage. either of the crankshafts 62 or 63. The length of arc through which the crank In the construction shown in Fig. 2, the piston arm may pass on the down stroke of the piston rod 6 may be considerably shorter than the pis 50 may be varied as desired. The crank arm, how ton rod 3, shown in Fig. 1, since no space ac ever, is preferably disposed at a substantial angle commodations need be made within the crank of at least 10 or 20 above the horizontal When case for the sleeve valves. In other respects, the the piston is at the top of its stroke in order that piston rod 67 corresponds to the piston rod 3. a dead center position which might lock the pis Operatio? ton at the top of its stroke will not be reached, If desired, the portion of the arc through which In the operation of the embodiment of the in the crank arm passes on the down stroke of the vention shown in Fig. 1, the gasoline or fuel is piston may be decreased by arranging the crank introduced through the inlet port 24 and through arms at a greater angle than shown with re the apertures íT and 20 in the sleeve valve í Á 60 Spect to the horizontal when the piston is at into the chamber 25 at the top of the cylinder 3. The apertures 7 and 20 are brought into the top of its stroke. However, it is preferable alignment when the piston is at the top of its to use as great an arc as possible for the down stroke so that as the piston is drawn downwardly stroke of the piston without approaching the within the cylinder 3, the fuel is drawn into the 65 dead center position which is reached when the cylinder. When the piston reaches the bottom of crank arm is in horizontal position when the its stroke, the sleeves 5 and 6 are shifted to piston is at the top of its stroke. In varying the the position shown in Fig. 1. Wherein the aper position of the crank arm when the piston is at tures T and 20 are out of alignment. The pis the top of its stroke, the length of the connect ton is then moved to the upper portion of the 70 ing rod which joins the crank arm and the pis cylinder, compressing the fuel within the chan ton rod must, of course, be suitably varied. ber 25 at the upper portion of the cylinder. The The crank shafts 34 and 35 are preferably dis firing of the spark plug causes the fuel to be fired, posed above the lower end of the piston rod, even and the piston is forced downwardly Within the when the piston rod is in upper position as shown cylinder on its power stroke. When the piston 75 in full lines in Fig. 1. If the crank shafts 34

2,417,910 5 6 and 35 are placed below the piston rod 3 and and 63. Either of the crankshafts 62 or 63 may on Opposite sides thereof, the linkage between be used as the power takeoff for the engine. the crank arms and the piston must of necessity Although the invention has been described in be of much greater length and would ordinarily connection. With certain specific embodiments, it require additional support. Preferably, the crank Will be underSto0d that changes and modifications shafts are placed as close to the piston rod 3 as may be made Without departing from the spirit possible so that the angle formed between the and Scope of the invention. and the piston rod is as Small as I claim: possible. As shown, when the piston is at the 1. In an internal combustion engine, a piston, bottom of its stroke, the angle formed between a piston rod depending therefron, a, pair of the connecting rod and the piston rod is ap crank shafts Symmetrically disposed on opposite proximately 21. As the crank shafts are moved sides of the piston rod, a pair of connecting rods away from the piston rod 3 f and the angle be pivotally connecting said crank shafts with the tween the connecting rods and the piston rod is lower end of said piston rod, the connecting rods increased, the effectiveness of the drive connec 5 being symmetrically disposed on opposite sides tion is decreased. of the piston rod whereby lateral thrust on the Although the engine has been described in con piston rod is balanced, and gear means carried nection with a vertical cylinder having crank by each of said crank shafts, and an internal shafts below the same and above the lower ends external gear arranged to mesh. With said gear of the piston rod, the entire engine may, if de 20 means to Synchronize the rotation of said crank sired, be turned at an angle and may be ar shafts. ranged with the longitudinal axis of the cylinder 2. In an internal combustion engine, a piston in the horizontal plane. Accordingly, in refer mounted for reciprocation within a cylinder, a ring to the various parts and elements of the piston rod depending from the piston and extend structure as above or below or to either side ing from the cylinder, a pair of rotatable Crank of other elements, a structure in which the en shafts symmetrically disposed on opposite sides gine is disposed in a different plane is, of course, of said piston rod and above the lower portion intended to be included, and such reference is of the same, a crank arm carried by each of used only in connection with the relative loca said crank shafts, each of the crank arms being tion of the various parts and elements of the disposed at an angle between 10° and 60° with engine. respect to the horizontal when the piston is at By reason of the disposition of the dual crank the upper end of its stroke, a connecting rod piv shafts on opposite sides of the piston rod 3 and otally secured at One end to each of said crank the symmetrical linkages provided between the arms and extending downwardly therefrom to crank shafts and the piston rod 3, the Crank : a portion of the piston rod below the crankshafts, shafts serve to balance each other With respect means for pivotally Securing each connecting rod to lateral thrust on the piston rod 3 and piston to the pistOn rod, gear means carried by each of 23 carried thereby. Accordingly, substantially all Said Crank shafts, and an internal-external gear lateral or side thrust of the piston 23 within the arranged to mesh. With Said gear means to syn cylinder 3 is eliminated. This makes it feasible 4. chronize the rotation of said crankshafts. to use sleeve valves within the cylinder without ROBERT D. BRUEGGER. difficulty as to Wear on the valves as a result of side thrust of the piston. REFERENCES CTED The internal-external gear 48 serves to syn The following references are of record in the chronize the movement of the crank shafts 34 45 file of this patent: and 35 and provides on the shaft 5 a power take off for the engine. - UNITED STATES PATENTS The Operation of the embodiment shown in Number Name Date Fig. 2 is Substantially the Same as that shown in 810,347 Porter et al. ------Jan. 16, 1906 Fig. 1 except that the poppet valves 58 of the 50 1,527,296 Dudas ------Feb. 24, 1925 conventional type are used for introducing the 1,569,582 S00???? ------Jan. 12, 1926 fuel into the cylinder and for withdrawing the 1,701439 Canfield. ------Feb. 5, 1929 exhaust gases therefrom. The gears 64 and 65, 1,612,196 Kuechler ------Dec. 28, 1926 which are arranged to mesh with each other, syn 867,648 Ericksen –------Oct. 8, 1907 chronize the movement of the crank shafts 62 55 1,095,675 Rietti ------May 5, 1914