My Conjoined piston engine. A new type of internal combustion engine, composed partly of two crankshafts spinning opposite directions. They are kept in sync with a simple gear system. This is simply a different way of building the short block of an engine...with many advantages..such as reduced friction..smaller size..far less moving parts, higher revs, more power, and perfect primary and secondary balance.. Here are the technical specs....... There would be one or two ring gears (with teeth numbering 2x) attached to or part of the pistons surrounding the crankshafts with their diameter equal to the throw of both crankshafts combined or (2y). One or two gears (with teeth numbering x and diameter equal to y) attached to the primary crankshaft affixed to the rod journal so that they ride inside of the ring gear(s). The main crankshaft and secondary (or eccentric lobe) will have the same offset, therefor if each crankshaft has a throw of two inches the pistons would then travel a total of four inches. The engine would have a minimum of two pistons, each set of opposing pistons are bolted together, making one solid unit. This engine would have opposing pistons similar to a Boxer engine configuration, with the exception that the pistons are directly across from one another. The cylinders and heads will work the same as they do in a conventional engine.
The benefits of this design; There are no connecting rods. So the engine should be able to withstand much higher RPM than a conventional engine. This design also insures that the pistons will stay in-line with the cylinders, and therefor reducing friction. There are also less moving parts, a 4-cylinder engine built using this design would have only 5 moving parts in the short block, as opposed to the 9 moving parts found in conventional 4-cylinder engines.
Components;
A. The main crank, a standard looking engine crankshaft, with the exception of the gear(s) permanently affixed to the rod journal, with teeth numbering x. The diameter of the gear(s) is equal to the throw of the main crankshaft or y.
B. The secondary crankshaft, or eccentric lobe is round with an offset hole that the main crankshafts (A) rod journal rides in.
C. The pistons, which when bolted together form one solid unit from piston to piston. They have rings and oilers the same as most other pistons. They have a hole in the middle where the main (A) and secondary (B) crankshafts ride.
D. Ring gear(s), with teeth numbering 2x. The gear(s) that are affixed to the main crankshaft (A) ride inside this ring gear(s). The diameter or the ring gear(s) is equal to the throw of both cranks combined or (2y). Craig Laycock 423-307-4323 5/14/09
