Rotary power device

Abstract

A rotary power device comprises an open ended stationary housing defining an interior having a sinusoidal cam track disposed therein and end walls closing each open end of the housing. At least one fluid inlet port and one fluid outlet port is provided in the end walls for fluid communication between the housing interior and the exterior of the end wall. A rotor assembly is disposed in the interior of the housing for rotation about the axis of the housing. The rotor assembly includes a central shaft extending axially through the interior of the housing which is rotatably carried by each of the end walls. At least one heat conducting disk is mounted on the shaft adjacent each of the end walls for rotation with the shaft. Each disk has at least two openings equiangularly located with respect to one another and aligned with corresponding equiangularly disposed openings in the other disk for mounting open ended tubular cylinder elements which extend between the disks parallel to the axis of the shaft. The open ends of each cylinder element is located adjacent a corresponding end wall for intermittant communication with the ports as the rotor assembly rotates. An elongated piston including a piston head is slidingly disposed in each cylinder element for reciprocal movement parallel to the axis of the shaft. Each piston includes a normally extending follower which extends through an elongated closed ended opening in the cylinder element into the sinusoidal track in the housing. A manifold communicates with the outlet port for collecting and conducting fluid expelled from the outlet port. The pistons reciprocate in their respective cylinder elements responsive to the follower in the sinusoidal track as the rotor assembly rotates. The rotary power device serves as an engine or compressor or combination of the two and is easily modified from one form to another simply by changing end walls.