Method and apparatus for starting a free piston combustion engine hydraulically
US5123245A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 21, 1991 |
| Grant date | Jun 23, 1992 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 21, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF02B71/02
- WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A method of starting a free piston combustion engine is described in which the free piston unit consisting of the combustion pistons and the piston rod connecting them is set in motion by alternately pressurizing the hydraulic cylinder spaces of a double-acting piston and cylinder arrangement whose piston or piston is or are connected to the piston rod. For this purpose pressure from a hydraulic accumulator used for starting the engine is supplied as a control pressure to the check valve members of the one way outlet check valves of the hydraulic cylinder spaces to keep those check valves closed during starting of the engine. This control pressure supplements the spring pressure supplied by springs in the check valves biasing the check valve members towards their closed positions. Simultaneously a directional valve is used to channel hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic accumulator directly to the cylinder spaces in turn, thereby bypassing the one way inlet check valves to the cylinder spaces. In this way the free piston unit is set in motion. Once the free piston has performed a predetermined number of reciprocating movements or has attained a sufficient magnitude of inertial energy…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.