Bill Bokon, a master
machinist and automotive expert, has invented a low-cost,
lightweight, pollution-free motor that can drive cars, trucks ,
boats and generators with amazing fuel efficiency.
The San Bernardino CA inventor has designed, built and patented
two "vapor-dyne" motors in the past four years, but so far the
only thanks he's received from a nation needing new and better
ideas is a one-way ticket to Indonesia.
Bokon's engines are steam-powered and run beautifully on a mixture
of alcohol and water; 70% alcohol and 30% water.
"Laboratory tests indicate we can drive a large automobile at
highway speeds and obtain better than 50 miles per gallon", Bokon
said.
Actually the inventor feels certain he can get up to 80 mpg of the
less costly fuel, but "I'm being conservative with the estimates".
The "vapor-dyne" consists of only 17 moving parts and a complete
engine weighs only 45 pounds.
"This engine will run trouble-free for better than 150,000 miles",
Bokon stressed, "because it turns only about 750 rpm, and still
gets the job done".
Today's complex gasoline burners idle at about 1200 rppm and
lubrication is a costly problem.
"I've been around automobiles and engines all my life", Bokon
explained, "and I know I have something valuable -- a better way
to transport people and products".
Bokon came up with the basic idea for his revolutionary engine
when he was only a boy of 17 living in South Bend IN.
"The germ of the idea popped into my head while I was busy
overhauling a Model-T Ford for a neighbor", Bokon said.
"A few years later, in 1946, I went to work at the Studebaker
plant in South Bend where my older brother was the assistant chief
engineer".
Bokon points out that even as a youngster he wondered why
automotive engineers insisted upon driving motors at higher and
higher rpm to obtain more horsepower. The higher the rpm the
harder it is on the machinery and the shorter the life of the
motor.
"I thought they should reduce the rpm and find another way to get
the horsepower. They told me that if I was so damn smart, why
don't I do it?".
So he did!
Slowly, over the years, Bokon worked it out. The finished product
came in the form of his first "vapor-dyne" engine which he built
by hand at a cost of more than $50,000 and years of time.
"The vapor-dyne is a radial, externally powered, eight cylinder
power plant that spins at 750 rpm", he explained.
The major difference between Bokon's motor and other Otto-cycle
engines is that his vapor-dyne does not have a crankshaft.
In standard engines the crankshaft turns as the pistons are
repelled by the gasoline exploding in the chambers, thus turning
the up-and-down motion into circular drive. The system, though it
is standard, is inefficient and costly.
"Automotive engineers know that about 90% of the fuel used is
burned to operate the machinery and less than 10% actually drives
the car", Bokon said.
Today's high-performance cars may get up to 17% actual drive from
the fuel utilized.
Instead of a crankshaft, the two vapor-dynes use a swashplate, a
simple device that engineers have known for a long time.
"In basic terms the swashplate is a revolving circular plate that
is set obliquely on a shaft. It actually acts as a camshaft to
give back and forth motion to a rod", Bokon said.
To further illustrate this principle, Bokon recently designed a
crankshaft for present-day engines that will give far greater
efficiency.
"I call it the magnecrank. It gives more torque with less rpm. It
has the same stroke, but increased displacement, which means you
can start from a dead start in high gear", Bokon said.
Getting back to his vapor-dyne motors, he has one that operates
from external pistons ( outside the block ) and one that operates
from interior pistons.
The principle is identical in both forms of the motor. Bokon
explained: "The eight pistons are in a radial block, so at
least six of them are delivering power at all times.
"The standard engine must complete two revolutions for every power
stroke but my engine delivers power on every stroke".
Some experts have pointed out that Bokon's idea is similar to the
Keller "roto-oscillating vane", an externally-powered steam engine
invented by Leonard Keller and featured in
Popular Science magazine in
1974.
"I've studied Keller's engine and the principle is similar to
mine, but I'm convinced that the vapor-dyne is more efficient",
Bokon stressed.
In Bokon's design the steam power is generated in a small, closed
system which eliminates the need for a radiator and elaborate
cooling system -- another big advantage over present auto engines.
Because the vapor-dyne is so light and has so light and has so few
moving parts it will be connected directly to the drive wheel, or
wheels without the need for crankshaft, transmission,
differential, drive shaft or traditional axles.
A body design, called the BMC ( Bokon Motor Car ) was produced for
the inventor by Lewis DeSoto, an engineering student from
University of California, Riverside at the time.
The vehicle is an eight passenger auto that is smaller on the
outside, yet bigger on the inside than today's compact cars.
"This is because our smaller engine can attach directly to the
wheel. This also accounts for our remarkable claim of more than 50
mpg", Bokon said.
The mileage claim has not been proved scientifically, but Bokon's
laboratory dynomomoter readouts lead him to believe that 50 mpg is
conservative.
However, by today's standards if his car can get only 30 mpg with
eight passengers he's miles and miles in front.
His 750 rpm maximum directly to the wheel gives the BMC a highway
cruising speed of 65 mph.
Thwarted by US industry and government agencies, Bokon finally
sold the rights to manufacture and market his first vapor-dyne
engine to Indnesia. This deal was closed in 1975, but so far there
has been no production.
"The Indonesians built four huge factories and are ready to go,
but we are balking at how they want to operate. They are seeking
ways to employ thousnads of people and want to build everything by
hand, and we think the quality of the machinery would be inferior
with this method", Bokon said.
Indonesia, the world's fourth largest nation in population and the
most crowded nation on earth, also has financial problems that
could hamper the ultimate production and export of the Bokon cars.
"I then designed the second vapor-dyne and patented it so now I
hope to d business in the US where my work belongs".
It won't be easy, but Bokon is hopeful because some midwestern
manufacturers have expressed a strong interest. His determinatin
may pay off -- and we'llall be better off.
USP # 4,632,017
Engine
1986-12-30
Inventor(s): BOKON WILLIAM
Classification: - international: F01B1/06; F01B9/06; F02G3/00;
F01B1/00; F01B9/00; F02G3/00; (IPC1-7): F01B1/06 - European:
F01B1/06B; F01B9/06; F02G3/00
Abstract -- An external
combustion engine wherein a plurality of radially disposed piston
cylinders are arranged around the axis of an output drive shaft.
Pistons are reciprocal in the cylinders and actuate rollers
carried by radially extending slide bearings, the rollers engaging
in an eccentric cam groove formed in a flywheel fixed to the drive
shaft. The cylinders have closed inner and outer ends and are
provided with valve means for applying pressurized gas to opposite
ends of the pistons at different times in a manner to provide
power to a majority of the pistons at all times during rotation of
the drive shaft. The engine can alternatively operate as a pump by
applying motive power to the shaft.
Abstract -- An external
combustion engine wherein a plurality of radially disposed piston
cylinders are arranged around the axis of an output drive shaft.
Pistons are reciprocal in the cylinders and actuate rollers
carried by radially extending slide bearings, the rollers engaging
in an eccentric cam groove formed in a flywheel fixed to the drive
shaft. The cylinders have closed inner and outer ends and are
provided with valve means for applying pressurized gas to opposite
ends of the pistons at different times in a manner to provide
power to a majority of the pistons at all times during rotation of
the drive shaft. The engine can alternatively operate as a pump by
applying motive power to the shaft.
Inventors: Bokon; William S. (Rialto, CA)
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to energy translating devices and has
particular reference to combustion engines for driving vehicles,
such as automobiles, boats, aircraft, etc., as well as stationary
machinery, such as power generating plants and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore, internal combustion engines embodying pistons, a
crankshaft and connecting rods pivotally connected between the
pistons and the crankshaft, have been most commonly used to drive
both vehicles and stationary machinery. Although such engines are
generally satisfactory they present certain inherent drawbacks.
Primarily, they must be operated at a relatively high speed to
develop necessary power to operate a vehicle and therefore they
require a relatively complicated and expensive variable speed
transmission and clutch mechanism to accelerate the vehicle to a
desired driving speed and to drive the vehicle at different
speeds. Since internal combustion engines are driven by means of
timed explosions within the cylinders and because such engines
incorporate a crankshaft whereby power is transferred to the shaft
at an uneven rate depending on the harmonic motion resulting from
pressure of the piston connecting rods against the offset cranks,
uneven power impulses are applied to the drive shaft, resulting in
inefficient transfer of energy. Additionally, much of the energy
is absorbed by virtue of friction within the variable speed
transmission and associated mechanism.
Further, in a four stroke cycle internal combustion engine, only
one power stroke occurs during each four strokes or two
revolutions of the crankshaft, requiring a relatively large number
of cylinders to obtain a substantially smooth application of
power. This results in relatively heavy and expensive engines.
Also, when the fuel-air mixture of an internal combustion engine
is compressed and ignited in contact with the hot metallic
elements of the cylinders and other components, such metallic
surfaces act catalytically to generate nitrous oxides and other
undesirable air pollutants, commonly known as smog.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A principal object of the present invention is to provide an
engine having a relatively high efficiency.
Another object is to provide an engine having a relatively high
torque at all speeds whereby to eliminate the need for a variable
speed output transmission when used to propel a vehicle or the
like.
Another object is to provide a lightweight, compact and yet
smoothly operating engine.
Another object is to provide a combustion type engine which
greatly reduces the generation of nitrous oxides and other air
pollutants.
A further object is to provide a combustion type engine in which
any type of combustible fuel may be used to convert heat into
mechanical energy.
A further object is to provide an engine which can alternatively
be used as a fluid pump.
A further object is to provide a combustion type engine for a
vehicle in which the engine can be selectively utilized to effect
regenerative braking.
According to the present invention, a radial external combustion
engine is provided which utilizes a transfer or drive fluid,
preferably incorporated in a closed loop system, for driving
pistons operating in a plurality of radially extending cylinders
spaced around the engine drive shaft. Such pistons operate drive
rollers which are guided radially toward the drive shaft and which
operate in a cam way formed in an output drive member fixed to the
drive shaft. The drive fluid, preferably in the form of a gas, is
applied under substantially constant pressure at different times
to opposite sides of the various pistons in such a manner that
power is continuously and concurrently applied to all but one
cylinder at all times, thereby resulting in a constant application
of relatively high torque at all speeds. This enables the engine
to be attached directly to a vehicle drive wheel and thus
eliminates the need for the usual variable speed transmission,
differential and associated mechanisms. During operation, fuel is
burned continuously at substantially atmospheric pressure and at a
relatively low constant temperature which can be controlled to
reduce the generation of air pollutants. Also, since no octane
requirements are present, tetraethyl lead and similar additives
are not required and a wide range of different fuels can be used.
In its preferred form, the engine, when used to propel a vehicle,
is provided with a manually operable control pedal which actuates
both a first valve in the fuel system to regulate the flow of fuel
to a gas generator and a second valve which enables the engine to
operate as a pump when braking the vehicle so as to pump the drive
fluid, in gaseous form, into an accumulator where it is stored
under pressure. Subsequently, upon manipulation of the control
member, the pressurized drive fluid is released to drive the
engine.
Although various volatile transfer drive fluids may be used, it is
preferred to utilize perhalogenated benzene which has a low
flamability characteristic, minimum corrosive properties and a low
freezing point. Lubricating oil is preferably incorporated in the
drive fluid and since such fluid is not subjected to extremely
high temperature the oil need not be changed or replenished over
long periods of time.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The manner in which the above and other objects of the invention
are accomplished will be readily understood on reference to the
following specification when read in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a sectional
elevation view taken through an external combustion engine
embodying a preferred form of the present engine.
FIG. 2 is a transverse
sectional view taken along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view
through the valve mechanism for a typical cylinder and is taken
along the line 3--3 of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a sectional plan
view taken along the line 4--4 of FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary
sectional view taken along the line 5--5 of FIG. 2.
FIG. 6 is a sectional view
through the valve operating linkage and is taken along the line
6--6 of FIG. 2.
FIG. 7 is a schematic view
illustrating the closed loop drive fluid system and controls
therefore.
FIG. 8 is a schematic view
illustrating the various phases of operation of the engine during
each revolution.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings, the engine of the present invention
comprises a hexagonally shaped engine block 11 having a centrally
located set of coaxially aligned bearings 12 for rotatably
supporting a drive shaft 13. A combined fly wheel and cam disc 15
is keyed on the shaft 13 and is located closely adjacent the left
side of the engine block 11 as viewed in FIG. 2. three
equiangularly spaced cylinders 16, 17 and 18 are attached by bolts
20 to the block 11 with their axes extending radially outward from
the shaft 13. Cylinder caps 21 are also attached to the cylinders
by bolts 20 to hermetically seal the outer ends of the cylinders.
Pistons 22 having piston rings 23 therearound are slideably fitted
within the cylinders 16, 17 and 18 and are integrally attached to
relatively small diameter connecting rods 24. The latter are
threadably attached at 25 to slides 26 slideably mounted in
radially extending guide ways 27 formed in the engine block 11. A
roller 28 (see also FIG. 5) is rotatably supported by each slide
26 and fits within a cam groove 30 formed in the flywheel 15. The
groove 30 is cylindrical in shape but formed eccentrically of the
shaft 13.
Alternatively, the cam groove 30 could be formed oval shaped and
arranged symmetrically about the shaft 13.
The inner end of each of the cylinders 16 and 18 is closed by a
plate 31 which is secured in a counterbored section formed in the
base of the cylinder and has a bearing opening surrounding the
respective connecting rod 24. A sliding seal 32 hermetically seals
the inner end of the cylinder around the connecting rod 24.
Valve means are provided to control the intake of pressurized gas
into either end of each cylinder and to exhaust the opposite end
of such cylinders in proper timed relation. for this purpose, a
valve mechanism generally indicated at 34, FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, is
provided for each of the cylinders. Such mechanisam is embodied in
a casing 35 suitably secured to a flattened face 36 formed on the
respective cylinder, the casing being partitioned into two
separate spaced intake chambers 37 and 38 by walls 137 and 138 and
each chamber being further divided by a wall 39 forming a right
hand intake chamber section and a left hand exhaust chamber
section (FIG. 3). The right hand section of chamber 37 and the
right hand section of chamber 38 communicate with the outer and
inner ends of the respective cylinder through slotted intake ports
indicated by the dot-dash lines 40 and 41, respectively, in FIG.
3, and also with respective intake conduits 42 and 43. Likewise,
the left hand exhaust sections of chambers 37 and 38 communicate
with the inner and outer ends of the cylinder through slotted
exhaust ports 46 and 47 and with exhaust conduits 48 and 50,
respectively. Slide valves 51 and 52 are slidably mounted within
the casing 35 and are yieldably held against the face 36 of the
cylinder for controlling the flow of gas to and from the
cylinders. The valve 51 carries valve heads 53 and 54 at opposite
ends thereof which are located within the right hand intake
sections of chambers 37 and 38 and are yieldably held in sealing
engagement with the face 36 of the cylinder by spring fingers 55
which slideably engage the outer wall 56 of the casing 35. The
valve 51 is slideable endwise to concurrently cover one of the
ports 40 and 41 and uncover the other. Valve 51 has a rack gear 57
formed thereon and meshing with a drive gear 58 fixed on a rocking
shaft 60 which is journalled in a bearing 61 formed in the wall 56
of the valve casing 35.
The valve 52 likewise carries a pair of valve heads 62 and 63 at
opposite ends thereof which operate within the left hand exhaust
sections of chambers 37 and 38 to open and close the exhaust ports
46 and 47. Valve 52 is provided with a rack gear 64 whcih meshes
with gear 58 on the side thereof opposite the rach gear 57. Thus,
rocking of the gear 58 shifts the valves 51 and 52 endwise in
opposite directions to open certain of the ports and close others.
In the position of the parts shown in FIGS. 3, the valve 51
uncovers intake port 40 and covers intake port 41 while the valve
52 covers exhaust port 46 and uncovers exhaust port 47. However,
when the gear 58 is rocked counterclockwise, the valve 51 will
uncover port 41 and cover port 40 while valve 52 will cover port
47 and uncover port 46.
Means are provided for operating the various valve mechanisms,
i.e. 34, for the various cylinders in timed relation to rotation
of the drive shaft 13 and movement of the pistons 22 in their
respective cylinders. For this purpose, a hollow rod 65 (FIGS. 2
and 6) is fastened at its upper end to the gear shaft 60 for the
valve mechanism 34 associated with cylinder 16 and is slideably
telescoped over a rod 66 having a bearing at its lower end
journalled over a crank pin 67 extending from the flywheel 15,
eccentrically of the shaft 13. Likewise, other telescoping pairs
68 and 70 of rods are connected between the crank pin 67 and the
gear shafts for the valve mechanisms associated with the cylinders
17 and 18. Thus, as the flywheel 15 is rotated, the crank pin 67
imparts rocking motion to the various drive gears, i.e. 58, to
shift the valves, i.e. 51 and 52, for the different cylinders
between their alternate valve port covering and uncovering
positions.
FIG. 8 illustrates schematically the conditions which exist at
each 60.degree. increment of rotation of the drive shaft 13 and
flywheel 15. It will be seen that a powr stroke "PS" is applied
concurrently to the pistons of at least two of the three cylinders
16, 17 and 18 at all times during each revolution. For example, at
A, representing the top dead center condition of the piston in
cylinder 16, pressurized gas is applied to the outer end of the
cylinder 18 and to the inner end of the cylinder 17, thus
concurrently driving the pistons of both cylinders to create a
torque to drive the flywheel 15 in a clockwise direction.
Concurrently, gas is being exhausted from the inner end of the
cylinder 18 and from the outer end of the cylinder 17. At B,
representing the bottom dead center condition of the piston in the
cylinder 18, which condition is also shown in FIG. 1, pressurized
gas is concurrently applied to the outer end of cylinder 16 and to
the inner end of cylinder 17 while the inner end of the cylinder
16 and the outer end of cylinder 17 are being exhausted.
It will be noted that, unlike a conventional engine having a
crankshaft and pivoted connecting rods intermediate the pistons
and the cranks of the crankshaft and wherein a harmonic drive is
applied in which torque is gradually increased from zero at the
dead center of the piston to a maximum at midstroke, a constant
torque is applied through the eccentric cam way 30 to the drive
shaft 13, resulting in a continuous and uniform transfer of torque
throughout each revolution of the drive shaft, even at slow
speeds. Further, the torque is substantially the same regardless
of the speed at which the engine is driven, this being
particularly true at extremely slow speeds.
Obviously, there is no dead center position of the engine and it
may be started under load in any position, thus obviating the need
of a clutch mechanism between the engine and the load.
FIG. 7 illustrates schematically a preferred closed drive system
for powering the engine. The various intake conduits, i.e. 42, 43,
for the different valve mechanisma 34 are connected together and
to a common conduit 70. Likewise, the various exhaust conduits,
i.e. 48 and 50, are connected together to a common conduit 72.
Perhalogenated benzene is preferably used to generate a
pressurized vapor for actuating the engine. It is substantially
liquid form, the fluid is passed through a gas generator 71 where
it is heated and converted to a gas under pressure. The gas is
transferred through the conduit line 70 to the various intake
sections of the valve chambers, i.e. 37 and 38, for the different
cylinders 16 to 18. On the other hand, the gas exhausted from the
various cylinders is passed through exhaust conduit 72 and a check
valve 73. Part of the exhaust gas is transferred to an accumulator
75 and the remainder is passed through a valve 76 into a condenser
77 where it is cooled to return it to substantially liquid state
and it is then passed through an expansion valve 78, and into the
gas generator to complete the above cycle.
A heat source 80, preferably in the form of a burner, receives a
combustible fuel from a suitable source (not shown) through an
intake valve 81 for vaporizing the fluid within the generator 71.
Considering the system as incorporated in a motor vehicle, foot
control pedal 82 is provided in conjunction with a conventional
brake system and brake pedal (not shown). Pedal 82 is pivotally
supported at 33 midway between its ends and is normally held in
its neutral illustrated position by a spring 84. Pedal 82 is
connected through linkage 85 to the valve 76 and through a second
linkge 86 to the fuel control valve 81. Normally, when the pedal
is in its illustrated neutral position, the valve 76 is open and
valve 81 is closed. However, when the pedal is depressed clockwise
to initiate operation of the engine, the valve 76 remains open and
valve 81 is opened by an amount proportional to the amount of
depression of the pedal to cause heating of the generator 71 to
vaporize the fluid therein. When it is desired to brake the
vehicle, the pedal 82 is depressed in a counterclockwise
direction, causing actuating linkages 85 and 86 to close the
valves 76 and 81, respectively, thus enabling the momentum of the
vehicle to drive the engine. The engine now acts as a pump forcing
the exhausted gases to pressurize the accumulator 75. The increase
in pressure in the exhaust line 72 by virtue of the now closed
valve 76 reacts against the pistons in the cylinders to bring
about a braking action of the vehicle. Subsequently, in order to
gain propel the vehicle, the pedal 82 is again rocked clockwise,
releasing the pressurized gas in the accumulator to pass through
the condensor 77 and generator 71 to accelerate the vehicle either
independently of the expansive action of the fluid in generator 71
or conjointly therewith.
Although the engine is disclosed as embodying three cylinders, it
will be obvious that a greater or a lesser number of cylinders
could be incorporated.
It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that variations may
be made in the exact construction shown without departing from the
spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the engine may be
operated as a pump by applying motive power to the drive shaft.
Also, although the engine is disclosed as most advantageously
forming an external combustion engine, it could be modified to
operate as an internal combustion engine, in which case an
ignition system, spark plugs and appropriately times intake and
exhaust valves, all well known in the art, could be incorporated
with the cylinders, i.e. 16, 17 and 18, to cause exploding gases
to drive the engine. Accordingly, the term "fluid under pressure"
in the appended claims is intended to define both fluids which are
pressurized exteriorly of the cylinders and fluids which are
pressurized as the result of explosions within the cylinders.
As will be evident to those skilled in the art from the foregoing
disclosure and accompanying drawings, my illustrated engine is
versatile as to the direction of rotation of shaft 13. More
specifically, it is capable of turning the shaft in either
direction of rotation so as, for example, to cause forward or
reverse movement of a vehicle on which it is to be mounted for
use.
