Author Topic: Different engine configuration (Read 1774 times)

Brian Rupnow · « **on:** February 25, 2020, 01:47:49 PM »

Has anyone seen an i.c. engine which operates with the crankshaft being driven by a "Bell Crank"? The closest I have seen to this is the Rockerblock engine which I designed and built a few years ago. I'm casting about looking for a new engine to design and build, and I don't remember seeing this configuration before.---Brian

crueby · « **Reply #1 on:** February 25, 2020, 03:05:59 PM »

I recall seeing them on sterling engines, never on IC or steam ones. With a pair of them you could do a horizontally opposed engine with an offset crankshaft. Or with both facing up a U-shaped engine rather than a V-shape. Interesting concept!

Jasonb · « **Reply #2 on:** February 25, 2020, 03:38:31 PM »

Why not try one with an "Evans beam" like on my Woody as that would put teh flywheel where your newly welded fan blade spokes would cool the head and top of the cylinder to best effect.

AVTUR · « **Reply #3 on:** February 25, 2020, 04:48:22 PM »

Wooler, in the UK, made a small batch of 500cc motorcycles after WW2 using his own engines. One of his two 4 cylinder engines had opposing cylinders transverse mount, one pair above the other. The pistons drove a single crankshaft through, what he called, a rocking beam.

I believe the Science Museum has an engine. Certainly the book they published many years ago, "Motor Cycles, a technical history" by C F Caunter, gives an inventory number of 1952-301.

I have managed to find a sketch of the arrangement which is attached.

AVTUR

Vixen · « **Reply #4 on:** February 25, 2020, 05:05:09 PM »

AVTUR

That is a particularly interesting engine configuration. Looks like it could tick many of the boxes.

It has a lot in common with Dieters patent engine. The Wooler is an H configuration while Dieter uses a four in line configuration

AVGAS

Mike

Alyn Foundry · « **Reply #5 on:** February 25, 2020, 05:08:24 PM »

Possibly....

Andrew of Stockport Bisschop .

Allen Smithee · « **Reply #6 on:** February 25, 2020, 05:34:47 PM »

How about an axial, parallel cylinder engine like the Aerial 35?

PDR

Bluechip · « **Reply #7 on:** February 25, 2020, 06:53:43 PM »

I vaguely remember reading a book with some novel engine layouts.

POSSIBLY this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Knife-Fork-Man-Charles-Benjamin/dp/0955445507

OR NOT.

Anyone else know?

Dave

AVTUR · « **Reply #8 on:** February 25, 2020, 07:05:31 PM »

A book I never managed to buy many years ago was "Some unusual engines" by L J K Setright. A friend had a copy which I frequently borrowed (and returned).

Amazon will sell you a second hand copy for £88!

AVTUR

Brian Rupnow · « **Reply #9 on:** February 25, 2020, 10:26:21 PM »

I have a few new things going on. Biggest new thing is that I just bought a tig welder. A tig welder will let me fabricate vaned flywheels. If I take the Rockerblock concept and rotate it until the cylinder sets vertically, then I can almost fit an air cooled cylinder directly in the flow of air from the vaned flywheel.

Brian Rupnow · « **Reply #10 on:** February 25, 2020, 11:18:54 PM »

Jason--Tell me more about Evans Beam and your Woody.

gbritnell · « **Reply #11 on:** February 26, 2020, 12:02:32 AM »

Brian,
In the picture you show the link on the crank end should be at the centerline of the crank and with the piston at BDC the crank pin should be at TDC.
gbritnell

Brian Rupnow · « **Reply #12 on:** February 26, 2020, 12:19:16 AM »

Thanks George--I know that. Again, this is just hypothetical layout stuff. Trying to see what configuration works best in terms of small footprint and getting the cylinders cooling fins into the air stream from the vaned flywheel.---Brian

Jasonb · « **Reply #13 on:** February 26, 2020, 07:21:35 AM »

Brian, have a look at this thread, as you can see from the first photo the flywheel is ideally placed to cool the head and top of the cylinder. That flywheel is about 5" so your 6" one would either cool the cylinder more or give a bit more room around the head for valves. Least cluttered option would be atmospheric inlet so no cam or rockers needed, sparkplug in from the edge of the head or at least towards the top half of the cylinder, camshaft could be above the crank with simple pushrod direct to exhaust valve, as an alternative it would really suit an epicyclic gearbox on the crankshaft with the eccentric cam operating directly on the valve.

http://www.modelenginemaker.com/index.php/topic,9126.0.html

sco · « **Reply #14 on:** February 26, 2020, 12:40:07 PM »

What about Scotch yoke with variable stroke?

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4485768.html

Simon.

Brian Rupnow · « **Reply #15 on:** February 26, 2020, 01:45:23 PM »

Jason B What a lovely little engine that is. I see that I have commented on it during your build. Very nice!!!

Brian Rupnow · « **Reply #16 on:** February 26, 2020, 09:44:53 PM »

I've got some very interesting stuff going on here today. I have everything sussed out but the cylinder head. I'm going to stretch my own boundaries here a bit and go to a 1.375" bore x 1.375" stroke, with larger valves.

Jasonb · « **Reply #17 on:** February 27, 2020, 03:48:04 PM »

Looks just like your rocker block design stood on end or is there a difference I am missing?

Brian Rupnow · « **Reply #18 on:** February 27, 2020, 05:18:19 PM »

Basically the Rockerblock stood on end with air cooled cylinder and flywheels with vanes to ensure good airflow over the cylinder. also it will be the first engine I have built with such a large diameter piston. I will be buying a set of cast iron rings for it from the same guy that supplied the rings for my vertical hit and miss engine.

Brian Rupnow · « **Reply #19 on:** February 27, 2020, 06:00:32 PM »

I managed to get the intake and exhaust all in place, although I thought I might have to make the flywheels a bit smaller in diameter that I had planned. It turned that everything fitted into place without changing the flywheels.

Brian Rupnow · « **Reply #20 on:** February 27, 2020, 07:10:05 PM »

I am going to end this thread off at this point, and begin a new thread dealing with the fabrication of the engine under the heading of "Thumper--A new 1 3/8" bore i.c. engine"

AlexS · « **Reply #21 on:** February 27, 2020, 07:18:58 PM »

Nice different engine configuration! I see you are in a more final state of the design. I was thinking.
What if you make the connection rod out of two pieces. So there is a oscillating part and a rotating. Add a disk to the bottom part of the cylinder to close it with a O-sealing of the oscillating connecting rod. So that the bottom part of the cylinder act like a positive crankcase breather? A two stroke like reed valve on the inlet of the crankcase connected to a carburettor and a output to the intake of the cylinder head. On the plus side it could lubricate the cylinder/piston if oil added to the fuel and scavenge the fuel some better and under pressure.

AlexS · « **Reply #22 on:** February 27, 2020, 07:19:54 PM »

Oh sorry I didn't read your newest post on this thread that you are read to start to fabricate this engine.

Brian Rupnow · « **Reply #23 on:** February 27, 2020, 09:09:49 PM »

Alex--It's okay. Things happen pretty quick around here when I decide what I'm doing.---Brian

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Author Topic: Different engine configuration (Read 1774 times)