Ain't a Flathead, but gear heads may like it
 

Not a flathead, but hands on mechanic guys may get a kick out of this.

http://pixelbark.com/13045/how-the-d...bustion-engine

Reminds me of the post a while back about the engine without a cam, valves driven by computer controlled actuators. Anyone know if more has come from that?

Re: Ain't a Flathead, but gear heads may like it
 

This reminds me of the old rotary piston aircraft engines where the whole block and pistons spun around the crankshaft. Never understood how those worked but are fascinating to me as is this duke engine. It just doesn't' seem like it would produce the low end torque that a conventional engine does.

Re: Ain't a Flathead, but gear heads may like it
 

Amazing, it doesn't have a spark plug for each cylinder!

Anyone know what the application is? Automobiles or marine or what?

-VT/JeffH

More on Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axial_engine

Re: Ain't a Flathead, but gear heads may like it
 

Vacuuming money out of investor's wallets, I would guess...:confused:

I don't see any hope of the seals at the top of those cylinders holding out for a hundred thousand miles. I am impressed that they actually have a working prototype, that's more than many of the hundreds of alternative engines can claim.

Re: Ain't a Flathead, but gear heads may like it
 

That's fascinating! The unique problems to overcome must keep them awake nights! This being the 3rd generation, they may be ready for a production decision by about the 10th generation! :eek:

Re: Ain't a Flathead, but gear heads may like it
 

This is really nothing more than adapting the design of a Vickers rotary variable-volume hydraulic pump.

Lonnie

Re: Ain't a Flathead, but gear heads may like it
 

Not a whole lot different than a swashplate A/C compressor either.

Re: Ain't a Flathead, but gear heads may like it
 

Which do you like better? Jack E/NJ

http://i822.photobucket.com/albums/z...psee8d3a06.gifhttp://i822.photobucket.com/albums/z...ert/radial.gif

Re: Ain't a Flathead, but gear heads may like it
 

Would love to see the valvetrain.

Re: Ain't a Flathead, but gear heads may like it
 

There is none, it is piston-ported like a 2-stroke.

Re: Ain't a Flathead, but gear heads may like it
 

"Would love to see the valvetrain."

The gist I got out of it was no valvetrain. Looks like the pistons draw in fuel as they pass a cylinder with an intake port and expel the spent gases when they pass a cylinder with the exhaust port.

Re: Ain't a Flathead, but gear heads may like it
 

Looks like the mechanical advantage of the power stroke of the pistons would be lessened on this engine versus a crankshaft engine, generating less torque. Too, it looks like it would require more torque on the compression stroke than a conventional engine.

Re: Ain't a Flathead, but gear heads may like it
 

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't that basically the same setup as the swash-plate compressors used on modern day auto air conditioning? Sure looks like it to me.

Re: Ain't a Flathead, but gear heads may like it
 

Yeah, I think so except the Duke plate is the stator while the block with the pistons is the rotor. Like Lou suggests, porting seems similar to the Wankel rotary.

Jack E/NJ

Re: Ain't a Flathead, but gear heads may like it
 

Sort of also using the sleeve valve engine concept in a different manner combined with modern rotary design

Re: Ain't a Flathead, but gear heads may like it
 

Another variation of the radial engine as stated above. Wonder whatever happened to the cam engine being experiemented with in the late 80's. It was somewhat aproved by the FAA and then faded into obscurity. Rod

Re: Ain't a Flathead, but gear heads may like it
 

Personally, I'm a big fan of the stationary crank WWI radials with the entire engine spinning with the prop. Full throttle all the time. Kill switch to slow it down. That must have been a handful!!

Lonnie

Re: Ain't a Flathead, but gear heads may like it
 

That looks like something flathead Ted would be involved with.
There is a diesel engine in the Motat museum that looks similar.
Lawrie

Re: Ain't a Flathead, but gear heads may like it
 

The gnome & a few other rotaries at Glenn Curtiss museum, hport, nyhttp://i822.photobucket.com/albums/z...ps04a3ce9f.gif

Re: Ain't a Flathead, but gear heads may like it
 

That rotary wobble plate is going to have a lot of stress on it for the long haul since the power stroke won't be too equal with the opposite strokes. As was mentioned before, It's hard to figure how well the cylinder barrel will seal against the valve plate and not score the hell out of it. It's like an old Frigidaire compressor on steroids. If they used any more than 5-cylinders, it would be as big as a 55 gallon drum.