An operation system for a piston-type expander includes: a first engaging member which is fixed to an output shaft of the piston-type expander, rotates together with the output shaft, and has a first slanting surface; a second engaging member which is rotatably disposed on the output shaft, and has a second slanting surface; and a drive device which, while keeping a rotation direction of the second engaging member around the output shaft fixed, moves the second engaging member in an axial direction of the output shaft to press the second slanting surface onto the first slanting surface, converts a pressing force of the second engaging member in the axial direction into a rotational torque of the first engaging member and the output shaft at a contact surface of the first and second slanting surfaces, and causes the first engaging member to rotate together with the output shaft.

A hydraulic device comprises a shaft mounted in a housing rotatable about a first axis. A plurality of pistons are fixed to a flange rotatable about a first axis. A plurality of cylindrical sleeves sleeve bottoms and sleeve jackets that cooperate with the pistons to form compression chambers. Rotation of the shaft causes the volumes of the compression chambers. Each piston head forms a sealing line within the cooperating sleeve jacket. Each sleeve jacket has a thin wall and/or is elastically movable with respect to the sleeve bottom such that at a fixed pressure the radial deformation of the sleeve jacket at the sealing line is substantially constant at piston positions ranging from bottom dead center to a position where the distance between the sleeve bottom and the sealing line is less than 50% of the distance between the sleeve bottom and the sealing line at bottom dead center.

A closure element for a fluid end assembly that has two or more recessed grooves formed in its outer surface. The grooves are axially offset. A seal is placed in one and only one of the grooves. As wear occurs, the seal is relocated to one of the other grooves. Instead of a series of axially offset grooves in a single closure element, a kit may be formed from two or more otherwise identical closure elements, each with a single recessed groove at a different axial position. Another closure element has a series of ledge-like surfaces defining spaces within which a seal may be received. One outer surface surrounds one or more of the other surfaces. A seal is placed in one and only one of the spaces. As wear occurs, the seal is relocated to one of the other spaces.

A balanced rotary engine for applying torque to a drive shaft. The engine has an outer casing with a main drive case. A cylinder is rotably mounted in the casing and a piston is mounted to move longitudinally within the cylinder. Two connecting arms, each with a connecting end, one of the ends is connected to the piston, and two crankshafts, each one being rotably connected to the other connecting end of the connecting arms. Two drive wheels are contra-rotably connected to the respective first and second crankshafts. A fixed drive ring has a circumferentially disposed drive member surface. The fixed drive ring is mounted in the case so that the drive member surface faces the piston. The two drive wheels mesh with the drive ring.

Variable displacement hydraulic unit comprising a displacement unit for setting/adjusting the position of an adjustment element in order to adjust the displacement volume of the hydraulic unit by means of an electronically driveable actuator. The actuator is electronically connected to an electronic control unit (ECU) and has a first electric conductive coil to position the adjustment element by the help of electro-magnetic forces. An electric energy harvesting device is located adjacent to the first coil of the actuator such that electric energy from power fluctuations in the first coil can be harvested inductively. The inductively harvested electric energy can be transmitted to an electric energy storage device.

An opposed piston engine has a driveshaft with at least one combustion cylinder positioned between opposing, curvilinear shaped cams mounted on the driveshaft, where the center axis of the combustion cylinder is parallel with but spaced apart from the driveshaft axis. A piston assembly is disposed in each end of the cylinder, with one piston assembly engaging one cam and the other piston assembly engaging the other cam. Each piston assembly includes a cam follower that can move along a curvilinear shaped cam to reciprocate the piston assembly within the cylinder. The combustion cylinder includes an intake port in fluid communication with an annular intake channel formed in the engine block in which the cylinder is mounted, and an exhaust port in fluid communication with an annular exhaust channel formed in the engine block.

A hydrostatic piston machine unit, which is in particular designed as a hydrostatic axial piston machine unit, comprises at least two driving mechanisms that can be driven synchronously and have displacement pistons which each perform a reciprocating motion in operation and are provided for delivery into a common pressure line. The hydrostatic piston machine unit has a jointly assigned precompression volume for the at least two driving mechanisms.

A rotary displacement piston pump is disclosed having rotatable single or dual valve/port plate(s). The valve plate, being rotatable forward and/or rearward with respect to the rotation of the piston carrier, alters the phasing of the land area of the pumping action thereby altering the phasing of piston speed inasmuch as the land area can be moved to a position to accelerate the piston(s) in a pre or decompression phase. In this way, pump noise, from colliding pressure fronts within the respective high and low pressure plenums, can be tuned out of the pump by adjusting the phasing and position of the valve plate(s) and raising or lowering the pre and decompression pressure(s) as necessary. Pump volume can also be controlled by advancing or retarding the valve plate(s), either in or out of synch, so as to shorten intake/exhaust piston stroke and overlap fluid flow between respective intake/exhaust plenums.

A weight training apparatus using hydraulics or pneumatics for applying positive and negative resistance closer to a user's maximum capacity throughout a lift is provided. The weight training apparatus allows for weight training without weights. The weight training apparatus may provide a more effective and safer mechanism for training than conventional techniques.

A weight training apparatus using hydraulics or pneumatics for applying positive and negative resistance closer to a user's maximum capacity throughout a lift is provided. The weight training apparatus allows for weight training without weights. The weight training apparatus may provide a more effective and safer mechanism for training than conventional techniques.