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:
Jan. 14, 2003
Filed:
Sep. 14, 1999
Barry Johnston, Baltimore, MD (US);
Other;
Abstract
An improved uniflow engine has a plurality of vertically extending cylinders distributed in-line along a horizontally extending common crankshaft connected to pistons reciprocating in the cylinders. A working fluid vapor is supplied to those cylinders in which the respective pistons are in their working strokes to initiate rotation of the crankshaft in a predetermined direction regardless of where the crankshaft has stopped last. Once rotation is initiated and a predetermined mode change speed attained in a “start-up mode” engine operation, vapor inlet valves are controlled by an inlet valve control mechanism to change engine operation over to a “running mode”. In the start-up mode, incoming vapor is admitted over a substantial portion of the piston working stroke, whereas in the “running mode” vapor inflow is terminated relatively early in the working stroke so that a vapor change does work in expanding against the piston. A mode switch valve including a check valve and a control piston controls a closing rate of each of the vapor inlet valves. A wedge fixed to a head portion of each piston cooperates with a wedge fixed to each vapor inlet valve to close the vapor inlet valve at a predetermined position of the piston.