AU2009351849B2 - Opposite radial rotary-piston engine of Choronski - Google Patents

Abstract

A two-stroke opposite radial rotary-piston engine is proposed, comprising a block including sleeves, pairs of pistons disposed within the sleeves and oppositely movable, guiding bearings, a power takeoff shaft, rotors mounted thereon having an inner surface formed by a closed curved line, the rotors' transverse axes are predeterminedly disposed. On the frontal part, the rotors have concaved surface portions along the curved line. T-like traverses are mounted, pair-wise spanning the pistons. The traverses include convex protrusions, cooperating with the concaved portions during the start of the engine. A clearance between the concaved and convex portions is provided after the start. The engine comprises support bearings, coupled to traverses. Support bearings include an external bushing, rolling over the inner surface of the rotor associated with the traverse, thereby impelling the rotor. Other elements and alternative module embodiments are added, enhancing the efficiency, size, weight, and power variety of the engine.

Description

WO 2011/024017 PCT/IB2009/006902 Opposite Radial Rotary-Piston Engine FIELD OF THE INVENTION 5 The invention relates to opposite radial rotary-piston engines that can be utilized in ground vehicles, water vehicles, aircraft, in combinations with generators, etc. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 10 In the prior art there are known several constructions of centrifugal-piston or rotary-piston engines (herein further called ORPE), which are intended to eliminate certain disadvantages of conventional piston engines. E.g., such constructions are described in DE3907307, US6279518, US4334506, W02005098202, RU2143572, and JP7113452. The latter, for instance, has the purpose "to suppress the side 15 pressure applied to a piston, improve efficiency, reduce vibration and drastically reduce dimension and weight, by revolving a carn on the inner wall of an ellipse without using a crank, in reciprocating motion." The other above indicated constructions typically have similar purposes. DE3907307 discloses a four-stroke engine wherein a cylinder block revolves inside 20 a rotor, which is complicated, has a small resource of the valve system, and a des balance with the revolving system including movable parts. US6279518 discloses a four-stroke engine having a valve system and a conically shaped rotor. Fig. 7 shows a conical rotor with an elliptical groove, and a series of pistons followers inside the groove. It is a complicated unit with substantial friction 25 losses, which has a limited operation resource for its loaded parts. The construction does not eliminate the side forces exerted by the piston upon the cylinder walls. RU 2143572 discloses a four-stroke engine, wherein the cylinder block revolves at an elliptical trajectory, and the inlet / outlet system includes a rotatable valve. The construction is complicated and difficult to balance (which is admitted by its author). 30 The piston acts via its rod and a sliding bearing upon an elliptical housing. The place of contact with the housing experiences high friction and heating, and thus will have a short operation resource.

WO 2011/024017 PCT/IB2009/006902 2 From the instant inventors' point of view, a more advanced design of OPRE is presented in US6161508. It describes "a radial-piston engine of rotary type of the kind having a valve system comprising apertured disc rings arranged in intersliding relationship, one of said rings being stationary while the other one is arranged to take 5 part in the rotary motion of the rotor. The valve opening relationship is determined by the manual angular positions of the discs. In accordance with the invention, filed injection takes place via an injection nozzle positioned in the stationary disc. The valve ring is formed with a through opening which in response to the position assumed my the rotor at the moment of fuel ignition forms an open communication 10 means between the injection nozzle and the combustion chamber." That engine however has also certain drawbacks and limitations. It is built as a four-stroke engine having a cylinder block revolving around and impelling a rotor. Reaction forces produced in support bearings are very significant that leads to a short operation resource period. It uses an inlet / outlet system based on a rotatable sliding 15 valve. This necessitates the use of complicated sealing means that, as a rule, have very limited operation resource (typically 100 hours maximum). The rotating cylinder block with linearly reciprocating pistons is very hard to balance, and thusly will cause intensive destructive vibrations. These problems are successfully resolved in the present invention. 20 A reciprocating rotary engine is taught in US4334506: "Rotary engine having a hollow, stationary block with manifolds for air inlet and exhaust valving and means for supplying fuel. The block supports one or more in-line cylinders which are provided with opposed pistons equipped with rigid and constrained piston rods. The rods carry bearings that run along a cam track surface interior to a disc, the outer 25 surface of which is a right circular cylinder. The surrounding right circular cylinder rotates as a result of the linear movement of the opposed pistons thereby providing mechanical power. The cam surface is a continuous track which determines the out put motion of the piston movement between top and bottom dead center. Arcuate areas at top and/or bottom dead center permit constant volume combustion and/or 30 exhaust as desired during a particular cycle, whether that cycle be Otto or Diesel and whether it be two or four stroke." At-least one of drawbacks of that design is that the spark plugs 48 and fuel lines 46 are situated inside the rotor. Hence, their replacement would require dissembling the entire engine, which makes maintenance of the engine, taught in US Pat. No. 4334506, more difficult.

WO 2011/024017 PCT/IB2009/006902 3 Another example of ORPE, described in US patent application No.11/827595 filed on July 12, 2007 by the instant applicants, employs the. non-typical form of conversion of the spinning motion of a rotor into a progressive linear stroke of a piston, and vice versa. This constructive solution provides for substantial absorption 5 of side forces exerted by the piston onto engine cylinder's walls and vice-versa, and for an essential improvement of the weight and fuel consumption / power output ratios, demonstrating useful advantages over all presently utilized engines known to the applicants, including the Wankel rotor engine. US patent application No.11/827595, hereby entirely incorporated by reference, 10 discloses a two-stroke opposite rotary-piston engine that comprises a cylinder block including a sleeve and two pistons slidely disposed therein and oppositely movable, which pistons are forming a common combustion chamber situated between their heads, and forming a first gap with sleeve's sidewalls; a rotor having a surface formed by a closed symmetrical Cassini line (particularly, ellipse); traverses attached to the 15 pistons; rollers attached to the traverses and springly depressed against the rotor, oil tubes with end bushings; oil supply and withdraw means; two plungers disposed in each tube forming a second gap with the tube's sidewalls, essentially less than the first gap. The plungers are attached to the traverses and oppositely movable, also including through throttling channels, outward surfaces forming external spaces with 20 the bushings, and inward surfaces forming an internal space with the tube sidewalls, which internal space communicates with the oil supply means and the oil withdraw. means. Engine's oil drain means communicate the external spaces with the oil supply means. The engine absorbs side and inertial forces, is more efficient and clean. However, the design of engine taught in US patent application No.11/827595 has 25 certain drawbacks: the rotor has a significant size and weight, the support roll bearings don't allow absorbing high loads, which shortens the service lifespan thereof. The power takeoff is carried out upon each 180-degree turn, i.e. the load characteristic is uneven that also reduces the lifespan and efficiency of that engine. Reference to any prior art in this specification does not constitute an admission that such prior art forms part of the common general knowledge. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To overcome the mentioned drawbacks of the engine in US patent application No. 11/827595, an inventive two-stroke opposite radial rotary-piston engine is 4 proposed herein. It comprises a cylinder block including sleeves, pairs of pistons slidely disposed within the sleeves and oppositely movable, each piston has a rod. The engine comprises guiding bearings, a power takeoff shaft, two rotors mounted on the shaft, each having an inner surface formed by a closed curved line, the rotors' transverse axes are disposed mutually perpendicularly. On the frontal part, the rotors have concaved surface portions made along the curved line. The engine comprises T-like traverses, pair-wise spanning the rods of the pistons. Each traverse includes a convex spherical protrusion, cooperating with the concaved portion during a start of the engine. A clearance between the concaved and convex portions is provided after the start. The engine comprises support bearings, each coupled to one of the traverses. Support bearings each includes an external bushing, capable of rolling over the inner surface of the rotor associated with the traverse, thereby impelling the rotor. Other elements (orifices, etc) are added, enhancing the efficiency, size, and weight of the engine. Alternative module engine embodiments are also described, providing power variety of the engines. It is acknowledged that the terms "comprise", "comprises" and "comprising" may, under varying jurisdictions, be attributed with either an exclusive or an inclusive meaning. For the purpose of this specification, and unless otherwise noted, these terms are intended to have an inclusive meaning - i.e. they will be taken to mean an inclusion of the listed components that the use directly references, but optionally also the inclusion of other non-specified components or elements.

5 In one aspect the invention provides a two-stroke opposite radial rotary-piston engine comprising: a stationary cylinder block including an intake channel and an exhaust channel; four cylindrically shaped sleeves, each having inner sidewalls, an inlet window and an outlet window of predetermined sizes and configurations, made in the inner sidewalls at predetermined locations, said inlet and outlet windows correspondingly communicating with said intake channel and said exhaust channel; four pairs of pistons, wherein each of said pistons has a rod and a head, wherein said head is situated oppositely to the rod, wherein each pair of the pistons is slidely disposed within one of said sleeves so that the rods facing the upper and lower openings of the corresponding sleeve, wherein said pair of pistons is oppositely linearly movable in relation to each other forming a common chamber defined by the pistons' heads and a portion of the inner sidewalls of the sleeve situated between the heads; four pairs of guiding bearings essentially stationed on said cylinder block, said rods capable of operative linear running within said guiding bearings; a power takeoff shaft revolvable in relation to said cylinder block; two substantially identical rotors fixedly mounted on said takeoff shaft, each rotor having an inner operation surface formed by a predeterminedly curved line of a closed type having a transverse axe, the transverse axes of said two rotors disposed substantially perpendicularly to 6 each other, each said rotor on the frontal part of its outer surface including a peripheral concaved surface portion formed therein along said curved line; four T-like traverses so mounted that pair-wise spanning said rods attached thereto, each pair of said traverses pair-wise associated with one of said rotors, each said traverse including a protrusion, having a convex spherical surface in its lower portion capable of cooperating with said concaved surface portion of said outer surface of each said rotor during a start of said engine, and wherein a predetermined clearance between said concaved surface portion of said outer surface of each said rotor and said convex spherical surface of the protrusion is operatively provided after the start of said engine; and four support bearings, wherein each of said four support bearings is coupled to one said traverse, and wherein each of said four support bearings includes an external bushing capable of operatively rolling over the inner surface of the rotor associated with the traverse being coupled to the corresponding support bearing, wherein said rolling capable of impelling the rotors, wherein during the start of the engine, rotation of the rotors drives said pairs of pistons by means of the protrusion of each traverse. In another aspect the invention provides a two-stroke opposite radial rotary-piston engine comprising: a module including stationary housing means; a stationary cylinder block assembled with the housing means, said block including an intake channel and an exhaust channel; 7 two cylindrically shaped sleeves, each having inner sidewalls, an inlet window and an outlet window of predetermined sizes and configurations, made in the inner sidewalls at predetermined locations, said inlet and outlet windows correspondingly communicating with said intake channel and said exhaust channel; two pairs of pistons, each piston having a rod and a head situated oppositely to the rod, each pair of the pistons slidely disposed within one of said sleeves so that the rods facing the upper and lower openings of the corresponding sleeve, said pair of pistons being oppositely linearly movable in relation to each other forming a common chamber defined by the pistons' heads and a portion of the inner sidewalls of the sleeve situated between the heads; two pairs of guiding bearings essentially stationed on said cylinder block, said rods capable of operative linear running within said guiding bearings; a rotor having an inner operation surface formed by a predeterminedly curved line of a closed type having a transverse axe, said rotor on the frontal part of its outer surface including a peripheral concaved surface portion made therein along said curved line; two T-like traverses so mounted that pair-wise spanning said rods attached thereto, said traverses associated with said rotor, each said traverse including a protrusion, having a convex spherical surface in its lower portion capable of operatively cooperating with said concaved surface portion of said outer surface of said rotor, wherein a predetermined clearance between said concaved surface portion of said outer surface of said rotor and said convex spherical surface of the protrusion is operatively provided; said engine further comprising: a power takeoff shaft revolvably supported substantially by the housing means of said module, wherein said rotor fixedly mounted on the takeoff shaft; and 8 two support bearing, each coupled to one said traverse, each said support bearing includes an external bushing capable of operative rolling over the inner surface of the rotor; wherein said rolling capable of impelling the rotor, wherein during the start of the engine, rotation of the rotors drives said pairs of pistons by means of the protrusion of each traverse. In a further aspect the invention provides a two-stroke opposite radial rotary-piston engine comprising: a plurality of 'n' modules, said 'n' being an integer number starting from 2, each of said modules including stationary housing means; a stationary cylinder block assembled with the housing means, said block including an intake channel and an exhaust channel; two cylindrically shaped sleeves, each having inner sidewalls, an inlet window and an outlet window of predetermined sizes and configurations, made in the inner sidewalls at predetermined locations, said inlet and outlet windows correspondingly communicating with said intake channel and said exhaust channel; two pairs of pistons, each piston having a rod and a head situated oppositely to the rod, each pair of the pistons slidely disposed within one of said sleeves so that the rods facing the upper and lower openings of the corresponding sleeve, said pair of pistons being oppositely linearly movable in relation to each other forming a common chamber defined by the pistons' heads and a portion of the inner sidewalls of the sleeve situated between the heads; 9 two pairs of guiding bearings essentially stationed on the block, said rods capable of operative linear running within said guiding bearings; a rotor having an inner operation surface formed by a predeterminedly curved line of a closed type having a transverse axe, said rotor on the frontal part of its outer surface including a peripheral concaved surface portion made therein along said curved line; two T-like traverses so mounted that pair-wise spanning said rods attached thereto, said traverses associated with said rotor, each said traverse including a protrusion, having a convex spherical surface in its lower portion capable of operatively cooperating with said concaved surface portion of said outer surface of said rotor, wherein a predetermined clearance between said concaved surface portion of said outer surface of said rotor and said convex spherical surface of the protrusion is operatively provided; said engine further comprising: a power takeoff shaft revolvably supported substantially by the housing means of said modules, wherein each said rotor of the modules mounted on the takeoff shaft; the transverse axes of said rotors of the modules being disposed to each other at an angular difference equal to 180 degrees divided by 'n' wherein said angular difference is arranged in a predetermined order between the rotors; and two multiplied by 'n' support bearings, each said support bearing coupled to one said traverse, each said support bearing includes an external bushing capable of operative rolling over the inner surface of the rotor associated with the traverse being coupled to the corresponding support bearing; wherein said rolling capable of impelling the rotors, 10 wherein during the start of the engine rotation of the rotors drives said pairs of pistons by means of the protrusion of each traverse. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. la illustrates a general plan view of the assembled engine, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. lb illustrates a lateral cross-sectional view of the assembled engine, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention shown on FIG. la. FIG. 2a illustrates a general frontal view of the assembled engine, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2b illustrates a frontal cross-sectional view of the assembled engine, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention shown on FIG. 2a. FIG. 3a illustrates another general plan view of the assembled engine, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3b illustrates a lateral cross-sectional view of the assembled engine, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention shown on FIG. 3a. FIG. 4 illustrates an isometric partial view of the engine, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

WO 2011/024017 PCT/IB2009/006902 FIG. 4a illustrates an isometric partial view of a module of engine, according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 illustrates a front view and a plan view of an engine assembled of two modules, according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention. 5 FIG. 5a illustrates a front view and a plan view of an engine assembled of four modules, according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 illustrates a front view and a plan view of a power installation comprising two engines, each assembled of four modules, according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention. 10 Identical reference numerals in the drawings generally refer to the same elements in different figures, unless otherwise is specified in the description. A newly introduced numeral in the description is enclosed into parentheses. DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION 15 While the invention may be susceptible to embodiment in different forms, there are shown in the drawings, and will be described in detail herein, specific embodiments of the present invention, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention, and is not intended to 20 limit the invention to that as illustrated and described herein. A preferred embodiment of the inventive engine is illustrated on FIGS. la, lb, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, and 4. It is a two-stroke internal combustion engine featuring oppositely disposed pistons movable toward each other, which movement is essentially converted into the spinning of the rotors, also featuring the straight blowing of air 25 through cylinders with the straight injection of fuel, and with liquid cooling. The engine comprises a hollow stationary cylinder block (1) fixedly mounted, e.g. on a vehicle; a frontal housing (30) and a rear housing (31) fixedly mounted, e.g. on a vehicle; the housings 30 and 31 are coupled with the block 1 by bolts and an upper lid (32) and a bottom oil tray (33). The aforementioned elements are preferably made by 30 means of casting. The block I is the power unit of the engine. Four cylinders or sleeves (4) are mounted pair-wise on the block I preferably by hot coupling. Other embodiments may include more such sleeves.

WO 2011/024017 PCT/IB2009/006902 12 Two pistons (6) are slidely snug-fitted within each sleeve 4. Each piston 6 has a rod (8). Each piston 6 has a head situated oppositely to the rod. Each pair of the pistons 6 slidely disposed within one of sleeves 4. so that the rods 8 are facing the upper and lower openings of the corresponding sleeve 4. The facing each other heads 5 of the pistons 6 and a portion of the inner sidewalls of the sleeve 4 between the heads define a common chamber that can be a blowing off, or an intermingling chamber, or a combustion chamber, depending on the phase of engine's operation. The engine comprises a conventional supercharger pump (not illustrated), driven preferably by a belt transmission, to introduce air into the chamber. The engine 10 comprises an inlet window (B) and outlet window (D) made in the sleeve 4, correspondingly communicating with an intake channel (F) and an exhaust channel (G) made in the block 1 (see FIG. 2b). In preferred embodiments, the sleeve 4 has an orifice C communicating with the channel F (shown on FIG. 2b) for supply of air after the windows B and D are shut 15 during a 6 - 7 degree turn of a power takeoff shaft that is described below. This enhances the filling of the sleeves with a fresh air portion during the mentioned angular turn. It allows achieving the coefficient of filling the sleeve to be essentially equal to 1.0. Besides, the orifice C is preferably aligned at a tangential direction to the sidewalls 20 of the sleeve 4, which additionally makes air whirls in the sleeve, and improves the quality of the fuel-air mixture. The closing or opening of the windows B and D and the orifice C are provided by the pistons 6 during their movement within the sleeve 4. Configurations of the windows B and D and orifice C, their areas, and dispositions can be determined empirically for a particular design of the engine. 25 The pistons 6 with their rods 8 are pair-wise spanned with a T-like traverse (7) and attached to the traverse 7 preferably by means of a screw connection (FIGS. lb, 2b). Due to the screw connection of the rods 8 with the traverse 7, it is possible to regulate the length of rod 8 during the assembling by means of a distance washer (12), mounted on the rod 8, which allows controlling the extent of compression. Thus, the 30 engine comprises four traverses 7 shown on FIG. Ib. As illustrated on FIG. 4, the block 1 includes lids (25) and a plurality of through openings (J), which lids 25 and openings J jointly form a cooling jacket. The block I includes an opening (E) for mounting a power takeoff shaft (20), extending along the symmetry axis of the block 1, and perpendicularly the longitudinal axis of sleeves 4.

WO 2011/024017 PCT/IB2009/006902 13 The block 1, depicted on FIG. 2b, houses: injectors (40,41,42,43), spark plugs (44,45,46,47), supply and withdraw pipes for cooling liquid (55,56,57,58), oil inlet connector pipes (39), attachment means of air inlet pipes (35), and exhaust gas pipes (36), all installed on the outer sides of the block 1 (illustrated on FIG. 4). 5 The shaft 20 is rotatably mounted on the block 1, and is supported preferably by two roll bearings (18) and (19) installed in the block 1, shown on FIG. 3. The shaft 20 extends through the housings 30 and 31. Seal cuffs (15) and (24) are mounted within housings 30 and 31. The engine comprises two substantially identical rotors (16) and (17) mounted on 10 the shaft 20, and fixed thereon preferably by dowels. The transverse axes of the rotors are disposed at a 90-degree angle in relation to each other. Each pair of traverses 7 is associated with one of the rotors as explained below. The inner surface of the rotors 16 and 17 has a cylindrical shape having an inner operation surface formed by a predeterminedly curved line of a closed type. In 15 preferred embodiments, the inner cylindrical surface is formed by a generatrix moved along a predetermined Cassini line of a closed type, particularly, an ellipse or an oval with suitable parameters. As shown on FIG. lb, on the outer surface of each of the rotors, in its frontal part, a peripheral concaved surface portion (M) is made (preferably, milled out), being formed by the aforesaid curved line, preferably, an 20 ellipse. Each rotor 16 or 17 is associated with two 'own' traverses 7 (upper and lower) that allows taking off power from the shaft 20 at each 90-degree turn of the shaft, increasing effectiveness and smoothness of the engine's operation. A pinion (21) of a supplemental equipment drive (21) and a nave (22) of a fly wheel (23) are secured on the shaft 20. Before installation into the engine, the 25 elements 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 are assembled into a single unit, and undergo static and dynamic balancing, to avoid or significantly suppress vibrations during operation of the engine. As illustrated on FIG. 3b, each traverse 7 has a protrusion (A), having a convex spherical surface in its lower portion capable of cooperating with the aforementioned 30 surface M of the rotor. The protrusion A is so positioned that during operation of the engine after its start, there is a predetermined clearance between the surface of protrusion A and the surface M, preferably, of 0.5 mm. The protrusion A is used to provide the start of the engine, as described below, and is not operatively used after the start.

WO 2011/024017 PCT/IB2009/006902 14 As illustrated on FIG. 3b, each traverse 7 has a nest, arranged for mounting a slide (11) of a hydro-lock. The hydro-lock serves for taking off inertial loads applied to the rotor in dead points, which loads are produced by the moving traverse and the pistons. Its operation was described in US 11/827595. 5 A conventional support bearing (10) (of a slipper type in preferred embodiments) is mounted on each traverse 7, which bearing 10 uses liquid friction. Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the engine comprises four support bearings 10. Each slipper bearing 10 comprises an external cylindrical bushing, an internal cylindrical pin, and a revolvable insertion therebetween. The external bushing operatively rolls over the 10 inner surface of the rotor 16 or 17, impelling the rotor, and thereby converting the linear movement of the traverse 7 into rotation of the rotors. This type of bearing provides reliable operation of diesel engines, since it is capable to absorb high strike loads while the rotational speed of the bearing can range from 40,000 to 60,000 RPM. However, other embodiments may utilize other types of support bearings. 15 The configuration of traverse 7 permits arranging the point of interaction between the rotor and the bearing 10 lower than it was in the engine's design of US 11/827595. In turn, this reduces the load onto the bearing and allows reducing the size of the rotor. The rod 8 and traverse 7 have holes of predetermined sizes (shown on FIG. 3b) drilled therein that are used for lubrication and cooling the bearings 10. 20 As depicted on FIG. lb, the rods 8 are supportably embraced by guiding bearings (preferably of a slipper type), within which guiding bearings the rods are capable of operative linear running. Thus, the engine includes eight guiding bearings. Each guiding bearing preferably comprises a casing (26) and an axle-bushing (27) impressed therein (reflected on FIG. lb). The casing 26 is mounted in the lid 25 25 (FIG. ]a) by bolts, i.e. the casing 26 is essentially stationed on the block 1. The guiding bearings absorb the load produced due to interaction of the support bearings 10 with the inner surface of rotors 16 and 17, and simultaneously guide oil for cooling the pistons 6 via the orifices drilled in the rod 8 and traverse 7. The process of fuel injection is regulated by a. conventional pm-programmed control unit (not illustrated). 30 OPERATION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The protrusion A of the traverse 7 plays an important role in the engine's operation. When the engine is in a stop position, the rotors 16 and 17 can be positioned at any WO 2011/024017 PCT/IB2009/006902 15 angle within 360 degrees, causing the upper pistons 6 to shut the inlet windows B, and preventing air from entering the sleeve. Therefore, the rotors 16 and 17 (FIG. lb) cannot act via the bearings 10 upon the traverse 7, and hence cannot inlet air into the sleeve. In the other words, the engine cannot be started without the protrusions A. 5 Besides, during rotation of the rotors 16 and 17, a strike engagement of the bearings 10 with the rotors is possible, leading to breakage of the engine, which is prevented by the protrusion A. After the engine is shut down, independently on the positions of rotors 16 and 17, the upper traverses 7 with pistons 6 and bearings 10 will descend due to gravitation 10 forces, taking out the aforesaid clearance, and the protrusion A will meet the counterpart surface M of the rotors, providing their strike-less engagement and displacement of the pistons 6 for opening the inlet windows B. The engine operates as follows (see FIGS. Ib, 2b, 3b, and 4): At start time, the fly-wheel 23 begins revolving, driven by an outside source (e.g., 15 electro-starter, air-starter, kick-starter, etc.), and conveys the rotation via the shaft 20 to the rotors 16 and 17, and the pinion 21 of a supplemental equipment drive. Through a belt transmission, the pinion 21 drives the supercharger that pumps air into the sleeves, for example, under pressure of 1A - 1.5 kG /cm 2 . This pressure range is chosen for the purpose of comparison with a common two-stroke internal combustion 20 engine, whose crank chambers have a similar pressure created by its. pistons. While rotating, the rotors 16 and 17 drive pistons 6 by means of the protrusions A of the traverse 7. The movement of the pistons controls the intake of air and the exhaust of gases. Exemplary operation of the rotor 17 is shown on FIG. la. In the illustrated 25 position, the pinions 6 are situated in the upper dead point and shut the inlet window B and the outlet window D. In the course of rotation, the rotor via the protrusions A displaces the pistons toward the lower dead point, which causes opening the inlet window B and outlet window D, and a portion of fresh air under pressure is introduced into the sleeve. 30 Thereafter, the rotor drives the bearings 10 toward the upper dead point, which bearings shut first the inlet windows B, and then the outlet windows D. At this time, within the additional 6 - 7 degree turn, the orifice C (shown on FIG. 2b) is still open, that allows filling the sleeve 4 with a portion of fresh air with the filling coefficient essentially equal to 1.0. Since the orifice is aligned tangentially to the sidewalls of the WO 2011/024017 PCT/IB2009/006902 16 sleeve, an intense whirling of air will occur, enhancing the intermingling of the fuel air mixture. In the course of 180-degree revolving, the pistons arrive at the upper dead point, compressing the air in the sleeve. At a predetermined point, preceding the upper dead 5 point, the pre-programmed control unit sends a command to inject fuel into the combustion chamber of the sleeve. At this time, the fuel-air mixture is ignited and the engine begins the work stroke. From this moment, an increased pressure of air or gases is permanently present in the sleeve until the engine will be shut down, which pressure via the pistons 6 and 10 traverse 7 causes the external bushings of the bearings 10 to be depressed against the inner surface of rotor 17 and disengages the protrusion A of the traverse 7 from the rotor's inner surface. ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENTS 15 Alternatively, the inventive two-stroke engine can be embodied as a module, and a number of such modules can be assembled into a more powerful module engine, which in turn can be assembled into a power installation comprising several such module engines. 20 FIG. 4a shows an inventive module engine (EM), which essentially represents a half of the above-described engine of the preferred embodiments illustrated on FIGS. la, lb, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, and 4. The module EM comprises a cylinder block (61) with two sleeves (identical to sleeves 4), upper and lower covers (62), within which four guiding bearings (63) (having casing 26 and axle-bushing 27) are mounted to guide 25 four piston rods (identical to rods 8), two traverses (64) (identical to traverse 7) each assembled with two pistons (identical to pistons 6); and two support bearings (identical to bearings 10) each assembled with one traverse 64, one rotor (65) (identical to rotor 16) with a power takeoff shaft (L) (identical to shaft 20 - not shown on FIG. 4a) and a fly-wheel (H) (identical to fly-wheel 23). 30 The number of the above-indicated units in an 'n'-module engine is determined by multiplying their above quantity by 'n' (wherein 'n' is a positive integer number starting from 2). The power takeoff shaft and the fly-wheel are manufactured separately for each module engine depending on its power, i.e. a two-module engine would have a shaft WO 2011/024017 PCT/IB2009/006902 17 and fly-wheel different from those for a four-module engine. In a multi-module engine, the shaft can be made either as a whole unit, or divided into portions connected to each other through conventional clutches. The axes of rotors 65 of two adjacent modules being assembled are oriented at a 5 certain angle to'each other. For a two-module engine (identical to the one described above in the preferred embodiments), the angle is 90 degrees; for a three-module engine the angle is 60 degrees, for. a four-module engine the angle is 45 degrees (see FIG. 5a), etc. For the embodiment shown on FIG. 5a, the angular difference of 45 degrees may be 10 imposed in a predetermined order. For instance, the 45-degree angular difference can be imposed between rotors 65-11 and 65-12, between 65-12 and 65-21, between 65 21 and 65-22, and between 65-22 and 65-11. Alternatively, the 45-degree angular difference can be imposed between rotors 65-11 and 65-21, between 65-21 and 65-12, between 65-12 and 65-22, and between 65-22 and 65-11. 15 Hence, for a 'n'-module engine, the angle difference would be 180 degrees divided by 'n', wherein the angle difference between the rotors' transverse axes is arranged in a predetermined order between the rotors. The modules can be made of several volumes of e.g. 50, 100, 150, ... , 500 cc (in some special embodiments even more) for engines' power from 25 to for example 20 250 hp. FIG. 5 exemplarily displays a two-module engine EM with a volume of 500 cc and power of 250 hp. It includes a common shaft L, fly-wheel H, front housing (P), and rear housing (Z). Generally, a power installation may comprise 'k' of the 'n'-module engines described above, wherein 'k' is a positive integer number starting from 2. FIG. 6 25 depicts a sample power installation comprising two four-module engines EM each of 500 hp ('k' is equal to 2, 'n' is equal to 4). The two engines EM each has its own common takeoff shaft L. The two takeoff shafts disposed parallel to each other. Each of the takeoff shafts, preferably through a conventional clutch (not shown), is associated with a power takeoff gear (S). An insert housing (Q) is mounted between 30 the two engines to accommodate at least two rotors of the adjacent modules of the two engines, as shown on the bottom view of FIG. 6. The installation, shown on FIG. 6, may use either one or two engines depending on the required power. Other installation embodiments may utilize different known types of takeoff gear, and different arrangements of the takeoff shafts. Such installations can find application in WO 2011/024017 PCT/IB2009/006902 I8 heavy long-distance and open pit trucks, large buses, tanks, escalators, small vessels and airplanes.

Claims (16)

1. A two-stroke opposite radial rotary-piston engine comprising: a stationary cylinder block including an intake channel and an exhaust channel; four cylindrically shaped sleeves, each having inner sidewalls, an inlet window and an outlet window of predetermined sizes and configurations, made in the inner sidewalls at predetermined locations, said inlet and outlet windows correspondingly communicating with said intake channel and said exhaust channel; four pairs of pistons, wherein each of said pistons has a rod and a head, wherein said head is situated oppositely to the rod, wherein each pair of the pistons is slidely disposed within one of said sleeves so that the rods facing the upper and lower openings ofthe corresponding sleeve, wherein said pair of pistons is oppositely linearly movable in relation to each other forming a common chamber defined by the pistons' heads and a portion of the inner sidewalls of the sleeve situated between the heads; four pairs of guiding bearings essentially stationed on said cylinder block, said rods capable of operative linear running within said guiding bearings; a power takeoff shaft revolvable in relation to said cylinder block; two substantially identical rotors fixedly mounted on said takeoff shaft, each rotor having an inner operation surface formed by a predeterminedly curved line of a closed type having a transverse axe, the transverse axes of said two rotors disposed substantially perpendicularly to 20 each other, each said rotor on the frontal part of its outer surface including a peripheral concaved surface portion formed therein along said curved line; four T-like traverses so mounted that pair-wise spanning said rods attached thereto, each pair of said traverses pair-wise associated with one of said rotors, each said traverse including a protrusion, having a convex spherical surface in its lower portion capable of cooperating with said concaved surface portion of said outer surface of each said rotor during a start of said engine, and wherein a predetermined clearance between said concaved surface portion of said outer surface of each said rotor and said convex spherical surface of the protrusion is operatively provided after the start of said engine; and four support bearings, wherein each of said four support bearings is coupled to one said traverse, and wherein each of said four support bearings includes an external bushing capable of operatively rolling over the inner surface of the rotor associated with the traverse being coupled to the corresponding support bearing, wherein said rolling capable of impelling the rotors, wherein during the start of the engine, rotation of the rotors drives said pairs of pistons by means of the protrusion of each traverse.

2. The engine according to claim 1, wherein said sleeves further include orifices of predetermined sizes and have predetermined locations, said orifices communicate with the intake channel.

3. The engine according to claim 2, wherein said orifices are aligned at a tangential direction to the sidewalls of said sleeves. 21

4. The engine according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined clearance is 0.5 mm.

5. The engine according to claim 1, wherein said guiding bearings are of a slipper type.

6. The engine according to claim 1, wherein said support bearings are of a slipper type.

7. The engine according to claim 1, wherein said predeterminedly curved line of a closed type is a Cassini line of a closed type.

8. The engine according to claim 1, wherein said engine further comprises four slides of a hydro lock, and each said traverse has a nest, arranged for mounting one said slide.

9. The engine according to claim 1, wherein said rods and said traverses include holes of predetermined sizes, drilled therein, and used for lubrication and cooling said support bearings.

10. A two-stroke opposite radial rotary-piston engine comprising: a module including stationary housing means; a stationary cylinder block assembled with the housing means, said block including an intake channel and an exhaust channel; two cylindrically shaped sleeves, each having inner sidewalls, an inlet window and an outlet window of predetermined sizes and configurations, made in the inner sidewalls at 22 predetermined locations, said inlet and outlet windows correspondingly communicating with said intake channel and said exhaust channel; two pairs of pistons, each piston having a rod and a head situated oppositely to the rod, each pair of the pistons slidely disposed within one of said sleeves so that the rods facing the upper and lower openings of the corresponding sleeve, said pair of pistons being oppositely linearly movable in relation to each other forming a common chamber defined by the pistons' heads and a portion of the inner sidewalls of the sleeve situated between the heads; two pairs of guiding bearings essentially stationed on said cylinder block, said rods capable of operative linear running within said guiding bearings; a rotor having an inner operation surface formed by a predeterminedly curved line of a closed type having a transverse axe, said rotor on the frontal part of its outer surface including a peripheral concaved surface portion made therein along said curved line; two T-like traverses so mounted that pair-wise spanning said rods attached thereto, said traverses associated with said rotor, each said traverse including a protrusion, having a convex spherical surface in its lower portion capable of operatively cooperating with said concaved surface portion of said outer surface of said rotor, wherein a predetermined clearance between said concaved surface portion of said outer surface of said rotor and said convex spherical surface of the protrusion is operatively provided; said engine further comprising: a power takeoff shaft revolvably supported substantially by the housing means of said module, wherein said rotor fixedly mounted on the takeoff shaft; and two support bearing, each coupled to one said traverse, each said support bearing includes an external bushing capable of operative rolling over the inner surface of the rotor; 23 wherein said rolling capable of impelling the rotor, wherein during the start of the engine, rotation of the rotors drives said pairs of pistons by means of the protrusion of each traverse.

11. A two-stroke opposite radial rotary-piston engine comprising: a plurality of'n' modules, said 'n' being an integer number starting from 2, each of said modules including stationary housing means; a stationary cylinder block assembled with the housing means, said block including an intake channel and an exhaust channel; two cylindrically shaped sleeves, each having inner sidewalls, an inlet window and an outlet window of predetermined sizes and configurations, made in the inner sidewalls at predetermined locations, said inlet and outlet windows correspondingly communicating with said intake channel and said exhaust channel; two pairs of pistons, each piston having a rod and a head situated oppositely to the rod, each pair of the pistons slidely disposed within one of said sleeves so that the rods facing the upper and lower openings of the corresponding sleeve, said pair of pistons being oppositely linearly movable in relation to each other forming a common chamber defined by the pistons' heads and a portion of the inner sidewalls of the sleeve situated between the heads; two pairs of guiding bearings essentially stationed on the block, said rods capable of operative linear running within said guiding bearings; 24 a rotor having an inner operation surface formed by a predeterminedly curved line of a closed type having a transverse axe, said rotor on the frontal part of its outer surface including a peripheral concaved surface portion made therein along said curved line; two T-like traverses so mounted that pair-wise spanning said rods attached thereto, said traverses associated with said rotor, each said traverse including a protrusion, having a convex spherical surface in its lower portion capable of operatively cooperating with said concaved surface portion of said outer surface of said rotor, wherein a predetermined clearance between said concaved surface portion of said outer surface of said rotor and said convex spherical surface of the protrusion is operatively provided; said engine further comprising: a power takeoff shaft revolvably supported substantially by the housing means of said modules, wherein each said rotor of the modules mounted on the takeoff shaft; the transverse axes of said rotors of the modules being disposed to each other at an angular difference equal to 180 degrees divided by 'n' wherein said angular difference is arranged in a predetermined order between the rotors; and two multiplied by 'n' support bearings, each said support bearing coupled to one said traverse, each said support bearing includes an external bushing capable of operative rolling over the inner surface of the rotor associated with the traverse being coupled to the corresponding support bearing; wherein said rolling capable of impelling the rotors, wherein during the start of the engine rotation of the rotors drives said pairs of pistons by means of the protrusion of each traverse. 25

12. The engine according to claim 11, wherein said power takeoff shaft being performed as a whole unit.

13. The engine according to claim 11, wherein said power takeoff shaft being divided into portions connected to each other through conventional clutches.

14. A power installation comprising a power takeoff gear; at least two engines according to claim 11, each engine having its own common takeoff shaft, said common takeoff shafts disposed in parallel to each other and associated through a conventional clutch with said power takeoff gear.

15. The engine according to claim 1, wherein said predeterminedly curved line of a closed type is an oval.

16. The engine according to claim 1, wherein said predeterminedly curved line of a closed type is an ellipse.