The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 08, 1998
Filed:
Mar. 13, 1997
Dan Merritt, Stychevale, Coventry, CV3 6FY, GB;
Clifford Williams, Brixworth, GB;
Other;
Abstract
An internal combustion engine has at least one pair of first and second cylinders (12, 14) with the first (12) cylinder having a larger swept volume than the second cylinder (14) and respective first and second pistons (16, 18) reciprocable in the cylinders. The second piston (18) has a drive stem (234) and divides the second cylinder into a first volume (15a) containing the drive stem of the second piston and a second volume (15b) between the two pistons. The first cylinder (12) has an air inlet (25) and an exhaust outlet (12). A common combustion space (20) is formed between the pistons when the pistons are substantially at their inner dead center positions, the combustion space comprising the second volume (15b). The engine also has transfer means (38) enabling gas flow between the first and second volumes (15a, 15b) towards the end of the compression stroke of the second piston (18)., and inhibiting means for inhibiting movement of fuel/air mixture from the first volume into the second volume until towards the end of the compression stroke of the second piston. A fuel injector (34) provides fuel to the first volume (15a). The second piston has a drive means (500). A cavity (520) is formed in a side wall (14a) of the second cylinder and opens into the second cylinder through an aperture (525), the aperture being axially spaced from the inner dead center position of the second piston (18). A spark plug (52) is located in the cavity means. The arrangement helps to prevent sooting of the spark plug.