Compressed air engine

Claim 2

A compressed air engine having a source of air under pressure, comprising: an electrically driven compressor for maintaining said pressure above a predetermined level, an air storage tank, means for supplying air from said source to said storage tank to maintain the pressure in said tank at a desired level below said predetermined level, at least one cylinder having a reciprocating piston therein, means for selectively supplying air from said tank to said cylinder to drive said piston, a crank shaft coupled to said piston and rotatably driven responsive to the reciprocating motion of said piston, means coupled to said crank shaft to supply power to said compressor, and further means operative independently of said crank shaft to supply power to said compressor, wherein said means for supplying air to said cylinder comprises: a cylinder head, an auxiliary chamber in said cylinder head, conduit means for connecting said tank to said auxiliary chamber, and input valve means operative to periodically admit air from said auxiliary chamber into the chamber formed by said cylinder head and the top of said piston, the periodicity of said admission of air being synchronized with the rotation of said crank shaft.

Claim 3

A compressed air engine in accordance with claim 1, wherein said auxiliary chamber is disposed within an axially extending sector of said cylinder head; said input valve means includes a reciprocating valve element in a sealed cylinder positioned within said auxiliary chamber; an aperture permits air flow between said auxiliary chamber and the chamber formed by the cylinder head and the top of the piston; said valve element sealingly seats in said aperture; and cam means are coupled to said crank shaft to control operation of said valve element.

Claim 4

A compressed air engine in accordance with claim 2, wherein said auxiliary chamber occupies approximately one quadrant of the cross-section of said cylinder.

Claim 5

A compressed air engine in accordance with claim 1, further comprising: exhaust valve means in said cylinder head operative to periodically exhaust air from the chamber formed by said cylinder head and the top of said piston, the periodicity of said exhaustion of air being synchronized with the rotation of said crank shaft.

Claim 6

A compressed air engine in accordance with claim 4, wherein said exhaust valve means comprises a fluted axially extending channel terminating in a circular aperture of diameter substantially equal to the internal diameter of said channel, and a reciprocating valve element within said channel adapted to seal said circular aperture when seated therein.

Claim 7

A compressed air engine in accordance with claim 5, wherein said auxiliary chamber is disposed within an axially extending sector of said cylinder head; said input valve means includes a reciprocating valve element in a sealed cylinder positioned within said auxiliary chamber; an aperture permits air flow between said auxiliary chamber and the chamber formed by the cylinder head and the top of the piston; said valve element sealingly seats in said aperture; and cam means are coupled to said crank shaft to control operation of said valve element.

Claim 8

A compressed air engine in accordance with claim 1, wherein said piston has an outside diameter slightly less than the inside diameter of said cylinder, a plurality of axially spaced circumferential grooves encircle the piston walls, and axially extending grooves interconnect adjacent circumferential grooves, whereby a small amount of the air admitted into the chamber formed by the cylinder head and top of said piston exits via said grooves and maintains a separation between the piston and cylinder walls.

Claim 9

A compressed air engine in accordance with claim 7, wherein said means for supplying air to said cylinder comprises: a cylinder head, an auxiliary chamber in said cylinder head, conduit means for connecting said tank to said auxiliary chamber, and input valve means operative to periodically admit air from said auxiliary chamber into the chamber formed by said cylinder head and the top of said piston, the periodicity of said admission of air being synchronized with the rotation of said drive shaft.

Claim 10

A compressed air engine in accordance with claim 8, further comprising: exhaust valve means in said cylinder head operative to periodically exhaust air from the chamber formed by said cylinder head and the top of said piston, the periodicity of said exhaustion of air being synchronized with the rotation of said crank shaft.

Claim 11

A compressed air engine having a source of air under pressure, comprising: an electrically driven compressor for maintaining said pressure above a predetermined level, an air storage tank, means for supplying air from said source to said storage tank to maintain the pressure in said tank at a desired level below said predetermined level, at least one cylinder having a reciprocating piston therein, means for selectively supplying air from said tank to said cylinder to drive said piston, a crank shaft coupled to said piston and rotatably driven responsive to the reciprocating motion of said piston, means coupled to said crank shaft to supply power to said compressor, and further means operative independently of said crank shaft to supply power to said compressor, wherein said means for supplying air to said cylinder comprises: a cylinder head, an auxiliary chamber in said cylinder head, conduit means for connecting said tank to said auxiliary chamber, and input valve means operative to periodically admit air from said auxiliary chamber into the chamber formed by said cylinder head and the top of said piston, the periodicity of said admission of air being synchronized with the rotation of said crank shaft, further comprising a reservoir containing lubricant located at the bottom of said engine, a lubricant conveyor traversing a path through said reservoir and driven by said crank shaft, a pan disposed below an upper portion of said path and above the major components of the engine for receiving lubricant from said conveyor and conduit means connected to said pan for gravity distribution of said lubricant to selected locations.

Claim 12

A compressed air engine having a source of air under pressure, comprising: an electrically driven compressor for maintaining said pressure above a predetermined level, an air storage tank, means for supplying air from said source to said storage tank to maintain the pressure in said tank at a desired level below said predetermined level, at least one cylinder having a reciprocating piston therein, means for selectively supplying air from said tank to said cylinder to drive said piston, a crank shaft coupled to said piston and rotatably driven responsive to the reciprocating motion of said piston, means coupled to said crank shaft to supply power to said compressor, and further means operative independently of said crank shaft to supply power to said compressor, wherein said means for supplying air to said cylinder comprises: a cylinder head, an auxiliary chamber in said cylinder head, conduit means for connecting said tank to said auxiliary chamber, and input valve means operative to periodically admit air from said auxiliary chamber into the chamber formed by said cylinder head and the top of said piston, the periodicity of said admission of air being synchronized with the rotation of said crank shaft, further comprising a reservoir containing lubricant located at the bottom of said engine, a lubricant conveyor traversing a path through said reservoir and driven by said crank shaft, a pan disposed below an upper portion of said path and above the major components of the engine for receiving lubricant from said conveyor and conduit means connected to said pan for gravity distribution of said lubricant to selected locations.

Claim 13

A compressed air engine in accordance with claim 10, wherein said piston has an outside diameter slightly less than the inside diameter of said cylinder, a plurality of axially spaced circumferential grooves encircle the piston walls, and axially extending grooves interconnect adjacent circumferential grooves, whereby a small amount of the air admitted into the chamber formed by the cylinder head and top of said piston exits via said grooves and maintains a separation between the piston and cylinder walls. .

Claim 14

A compressed air engine in accordance with claim 11, wherein said means for supplying air to said cylinder comprises: a cylinder head, an auxiliary chamber in said cylinder head, conduit means for connecting said tank to said auxiliary chamber, and input valve means operative to periodically admit air from said auxiliary chamber into the chamber formed by said cylinder head and the top of said piston, the periodicity of said admission of air being synchronized with the rotation of said drive shaft.

Claim 15

A compressed air engine in accordance with claim 12, further comprising: exhaust valve means in said cylinder head operative to periodically exhaust air from the chamber formed by said cylinder head and the top of said piston, the periodicity of said exhaustion of air being synchronized with the rotation of said drive shaft.