One of the primary criterion for evaluating an engine's performance is its fuel economy. The present invention rates well in this category for it utilizes all the horizontal movement generated after combustion. Thus, there is no energy expended for the sole purpose of producing another combustion chamber in a companion cylinder. Traditional engines must use some of the energy generated after combustion in setting up compression in an opposing cylinder without translating any of the energy in setting up the combustion chamber into rotational energy in the crankshaft. In the present invention, all movement before and after combustion translates and aids in generating rotational energy in the crankshaft.
The simplicity of design of the disclosed engine aids both in the lower manufacturing cost and also in fuel efficiency. The engine has few moving parts and eliminates the necessity of the following: camshaft, cams, camshaft bearings, gears, timing chains, sprockets, valves, valve seats, valve lifters, rocker arms, springs, connecting rods or piston pins. Due to the simplicity of the engine, the engine can be built to weigh a fraction of conventional engines.
Conventional engines have also necessarily been designed to absorb the energy of the piston and the resultant energy from the explosion in the opposite direction of the piston. This necessarily adds to the weight of the engine. In the engine disclosed, the energy after explosion is utilized in the movement of the reciprocating cylinder and in the movement of the piston. This serves two purposes: the movement caused by the combustion is translated into useful power and also it acts as an inherent cushion. Due to the cushioning effect after combustion strong damaging forces to the engine itself are eliminated. By reducing the potentially damaging forces to the engine, the engine may naturally be lighter weight which aids in the fuel economy.
A patent was issued to Lloyd L. Grant on Aug. 23, 1938, the patent related to internal combustion engines. The engine used a crankhead which was journaled on the crank in order to obtain rotational energy on the crankshaft. However, as in other conventional engines, the piston was set within a fixed housing. Thus, the engine experienced the same problems as outlined above. The inventor has solved these problems and obtained the above advantages, by designing a reciprocating cylinder in addition to the opposing piston thereby obtaining useful energy from all components of the force exerted after combustion.