Practical steam engine

Abstract

The current invention is a high speed, two-stroke engine that is counter flow, semi-uniflow, or uniflow and is comprised of at least one variable rotary valve mechanism.

1 . A Practical Steam Engine comprising:
 a cylinder head/valve gear assembly having an inlet to receive working fluid;
 at least one intake rotary valve assembly, at least one exhaust rotary valve assembly, or a combination thereof; 
 a cylinder/piston assembly with one end of the cylinder/piston assembly adjacent to the cylinder head/valve gear assembly, said cylinder/piston assembly configured to provide in-line movement between a piston and a corresponding cylinder of the cylinder/piston assembly when a source fluid pushes an end of the cylinder/piston assembly; 
 an apparatus that converts linear motion of the piston to rotational movement of the shaft. 
   
     
     
         2 . The Practical Steam Engine of  claim 1  where the intake rotary valve assembly is comprised of:
 a body;
 where the body has an opening therein of a circular cross section; 
 where the body has a means to communicate with the opening and is adapted for connection to the source fluid; 
 
 a first annular member received in the opening;
 where the first annular member has at least one aperture of fixed circumferential dimension there through positioned to intermittently communicate with the means to communicate upon rotation of the first annular member in the opening; 
 
 a means to continuously rotating the first annular member in the opening; 
 a second stationary annular member;
 where the second annular member is received in the first annular member; 
 where the second annular member has at least on means to intermittently communicate with the aperture of the first annular member upon rotation; 
 where the second annular member has a passage means adapted for connection to a source fluid; 
 where the passage means is connected to the means to communicate of the second annular member; 
 
 a means for adjusting the angular position of the means to communicate in the second annular member relative to the means to communicate in the body independently of the first annular member thereby varying the cutoff of the fluid to the means to communicate in the body upon rotation of the first annular member. 
 
     
     
         3 . The Practical Steam Engine of  claim 2  where the first annular member is supported by at least one bearing; where the second annular member is supported by at least one bearing. 
     
     
         4 . The Practical Steam Engine of  claim 1  where the exhaust rotary valve assembly is comprised of:
 a body;
 where the body has an opening therein of a circular cross section; 
 where the body has a means to communicate with the opening and is adapted for connection to the source fluid; 
 
 a first annular member received in the opening;
 where the first annular member has at least one aperture of fixed circumferential dimension there through positioned to intermittently communicate with the means to communicate upon rotation of the first annular member in the opening; 
 
 a means to continuously rotating the first annular member in the opening; 
 a second stationary annular member;
 where the second annular member is received in the first annular member; 
 where the second annular member has at least on means to intermittently communicate with the aperture of the first annular member upon rotation; 
 where the second annular member has a passage means adapted for connection to a source fluid; 
 where the passage means is connected to the means to communicate of the second annular member; 
 
 a means for adjusting the angular position of the means to communicate in the second annular member relative to the means to communicate in the body independently of the first annular member thereby varying the cutoff of the fluid to the means to communicate in the body upon rotation of the first annular member. 
 
     
     
         5 . The Practical Steam Engine of  claim 4  where the first annular member is supported by at least one bearing; where the second annular member is supported by at least one bearing. 
     
     
         6 . The Practical Steam Engine of  claim 1  where exhaust from the exhaust rotary valve assembly is fed into a working fluid inlet port of another engine or a working fluid inlet port of another cylinder of a multiple cylinder engine. 
     
     
         7 . A Practical Steam Engine comprising:
 a cylinder head/valve gear assembly having an inlet to receive working fluid;
 at least one intake rotary valve assembly; 
 at least one exhaust port which exhausts through at least one cylinder wall exhaust port; 
 a cylinder/piston assembly with one end of the cylinder/piston assembly adjacent to the cylinder head/valve gear assembly, said cylinder/piston assembly configured to provide in-line movement between a piston and a corresponding cylinder of the cylinder/piston assembly when a source fluid pushes an end of the cylinder/piston assembly; 
 an apparatus that converts linear motion of the piston to rotational movement of the shaft. 
   
     
     
         8 . The Practical Steam Engine of  claim 7  where the intake rotary valve assembly is comprised of:
 a body;
 where the body has an opening therein of a circular cross section; 
 where the body has a means to communicate with the opening and is adapted for connection to the source fluid; 
 
 a first annular member received in the opening;
 where the first annular member has at least one aperture of fixed circumferential dimension there through positioned to intermittently communicate with the means to communicate upon rotation of the first annular member in the opening; 
 
 a means to continuously rotating the first annular member in the opening; 
 a second stationary annular member;
 where the second annular member is received in the first annular member; 
 where the second annular member has at least on means to intermittently communicate with the aperture of the first annular member upon rotation; 
 where the second annular member has a passage means adapted for connection to a source fluid; 
 where the passage means is connected to the means to communicate of the second annular member; 
 
 a means for adjusting the angular position of the means to communicate in the second annular member relative to the means to communicate in the body independently of the first annular member thereby varying the cutoff of the fluid to the means to communicate in the body upon rotation of the first annular member. 
 
     
     
         9 . The Practical Steam Engine of  claim 8  where the first annular member is supported by at least one bearing; where the second annular member is supported by at least one bearing. 
     
     
         10 . The Practical Steam Engine of  claim 7  where exhaust from the cylinder wall exhaust port is fed into a working fluid inlet port of another engine or a working fluid inlet port of another cylinder of a multiple cylinder engine. 
     
     
         11 . A Practical Steam Engine comprising:
 a cylinder head/valve gear assembly having an inlet to receive working fluid;
 at least one intake rotary valve assembly, at least one exhaust rotary valve assembly, or a combination thereof; 
 at least one exhaust port which exhaust through at least one cylinder wall exhaust port; 
 a cylinder/piston assembly with one end of the cylinder/piston assembly adjacent to the cylinder head/valve gear assembly, said cylinder/piston assembly configured to provide in-line movement between a piston and a corresponding cylinder of the cylinder/piston assembly when a source fluid pushes an end of the cylinder/piston assembly; 
 an apparatus that converts linear motion of the piston to rotational movement of the shaft. 
   
     
     
         12 . The Practical Steam Engine of  claim 11  where the intake rotary valve assembly is comprised of:
 a body;
 where the body has an opening therein of a circular cross section; 
 where the body has a means to communicate with the opening and is adapted for connection to the source fluid; 
 
 a first annular member received in the opening;
 where the first annular member has at least one aperture of fixed circumferential dimension there through positioned to intermittently communicate with the means to communicate upon rotation of the first annular member in the opening; 
 
 a means to continuously rotating the first annular member in the opening; 
 a second stationary annular member;
 where the second annular member is received in the first annular member; 
 where the second annular member has at least on means to intermittently communicate with the aperture of the first annular member upon rotation; 
 where the second annular member has a passage means adapted for connection to a source fluid; 
 where the passage means is connected to the means to communicate of the second annular member; 
 
 a means for adjusting the angular position of the means to communicate in the second annular member relative to the means to communicate in the body independently of the first annular member thereby varying the cutoff of the fluid to the means to communicate in the body upon rotation of the first annular member. 
 
     
     
         13 . The Practical Steam Engine of  claim 12  where the first annular member is supported by at least one bearing; where the second annular member is supported by at least one bearing. 
     
     
         14 . The Practical Steam Engine of  claim 11  where the exhaust rotary valve assembly is comprised of:
 a body;
 where the body has an opening therein of a circular cross section; 
 where the body has a means to communicate with the opening and is adapted for connection to the source fluid; 
 
 a first annular member received in the opening;
 where the first annular member has at least one aperture of fixed circumferential dimension there through positioned to intermittently communicate with the means to communicate upon rotation of the first annular member in the opening; 
 
 a means to continuously rotating the first annular member in the opening; 
 a second stationary annular member;
 where the second annular member is received in the first annular member; 
 where the second annular member has at least on means to intermittently communicate with the aperture of the first annular member upon rotation; 
 where the second annular member has a passage means adapted for connection to a source fluid; 
 where the passage means is connected to the means to communicate of the second annular member; 
 
 a means for adjusting the angular position of the means to communicate in the second annular member relative to the means to communicate in the body independently of the first annular member thereby varying the cutoff of the fluid to the means to communicate in the body upon rotation of the first annular member. 
 
     
     
         15 . The Practical Steam Engine of  claim 14  where the first annular member is supported by at least one bearing; where the second annular member is supported by at least one bearing. 
     
     
         16 . The Practical Steam Engine of  claim 11  where exhaust from the exhaust rotary valve assembly and/or cylinder wall port is fed into a working fluid inlet port of another engine or a working fluid inlet port of another cylinder of a multiple cylinder engine.