A internal combustion engine (10) comprising a cam crank assembly (75) having a planetary gear assembly (2900), an intake cam (90) and an exhaust cam (92), the planetary gear assembly (2900) having drive gear (2910) rotationally secureable to the crank shaft (22), a piston gear (2912) rotationally engaged with the drive gear (2910), and a piston assembly (70) rotationally attached to the piston gear (2912).

The invention provides an internal combustion engine system (1) comprising—at least one combustor (3), and—a first expander (4) arranged to receive exhaust gases from at least one of the at least one combustor (3), and to expand and extract energy from the exhaust gases —characterized in that the system comprises a second expander (5) arranged to receive exhaust gases from the first expander (4), and to expand and extract energy from the exhaust gases.

The invention provides an internal combustion engine system (1) comprising—at least one combustor (3), and—a first expander (4) arranged to receive exhaust gases from at least one of the at least one combustor (3), and to expand and extract energy from the exhaust gases —characterized in that the system comprises a second expander (5) arranged to receive exhaust gases from the first expander (4), and to expand and extract energy from the exhaust gases.

A bearing device includes a piston arranged in a cylinder of a rotor, and a half bearing mounted on the piston to support a roller. The piston includes a recessed holding surface, and holding side surfaces on both axial sides thereof. Each holding side surface includes a ridge portion having an arc-shaped or elliptic-arc-shaped profile protruding toward a radially inner side of the piston. The half bearing includes a partially cylindrical portion, and protruding portions protruding from axial end faces thereof. Each protruding portion has a protruding portion end face which includes a central recessed surface, and two support recessed surfaces located on both circumferential sides thereof, that have an arc shape or an elliptic arc shape to correspond to the profile of the ridge portion, so that only the two support recessed surfaces are in contact with the ridge portion.

A bearing device includes a piston arranged in a cylinder of a rotor, and a half bearing mounted on the piston to support a roller. The piston includes a recessed holding surface, and holding side surfaces on both axial sides thereof. Each holding side surface includes a ridge portion having an arc-shaped or elliptic-arc-shaped profile protruding toward a radially inner side of the piston. The half bearing includes a partially cylindrical portion, and protruding portions at a circumferential center thereof. Each protruding portion has a protruding portion end face which includes a central recessed surface, and two support recessed surfaces located on both circumferential sides thereof, that have an arc shape or an elliptic arc shape to correspond to the profile of the ridge portion, so that only the two support recessed surfaces are in contact with the ridge portion.

An internal combustion engine featuring a radial array of cylinders and pistons; the pistons having rods including cam followers engaging the surface of a cam drive to transfer reciprocating linear motion into rotary motion; wherein between the piston rods and the engine housing are disposed arrays of toothed rollers to provide a rolling interface.

A volumetric expander (4) comprising a casing (50) having a general inlet and outlet (51, 52), a piston (6) operating inside the casing and adapted to define an expansion chamber (7) with variable volume, a main shaft (11) connected to the piston (6), and a valve (6) for selectively opening and closing an inlet and an outlet (8, 9) of the expansion chamber (7) allowing: a condition of introduction of the working fluid in the expansion chamber (7), a condition of expansion of the working fluid in the expansion chamber (7), and a condition of discharge of the working fluid from said expansion chamber (7). The expander comprises a transmission member (53) connected—on one side—to the valve (10) and—on the other side—to the main shaft (11). The casing (50) defines a discharge chamber in direct communication with the general outlet (52) and configured for being put in direct fluid communication with the outlet (9) of the expansion chamber (7) during the condition of discharging the working fluid from the expansion chamber (7) itself. The transmission member (53) is disposed in the casing (50) inside the working fluid discharge chamber. The casing (50) comprises an auxiliary inlet (59) which is only directly in communication with the discharge chamber of the casing (50) and through this latter, with the general outlet (52); the auxiliary inlet (59) is configured for enabling the working fluid to directly enter the casing (50).

A modular internal combustion engine (10) comprising a cam crank assembly (75) having a cam crank (74), an intake cam (90) and an exhaust cam (92), the cam crank (74) having a piston stroke guide pattern (76) to control the stroke motion profile of the piston (70), which can be expanded by replacing the crank shaft (22) with a longer crank shaft (22), and installing a supplemental engine block (18) with a supplemental cam crank assembly (75).

The invention provides a fluid working machine comprising: a cylinder block (1) having an axial bore (4); a crankshaft (2) which extends within the axial bore (4) and is rotatable about an axis of rotation (3); and first and second valve cylinder devices (13) provided in the cylinder block (1) arranged about and extending outwards with respect to the axial bore (4), the first and second valve cylinder devices (13) being axially offset from each other, the first and second valve cylinder devices (13) being offset from each other about the axis of rotation (3), and the first valve cylinder device having an axial extent which overlaps the axial extent of the second valve cylinder device, wherein the first and second valve cylinder devices (13) comprise first valves (14) having respective first working fluid ports (48, 49), the said respective first working fluid ports (48, 49) of the first valves (14) of the first and second valve cylinder devices (13) being in fluid communication with each other via a common conduit (50, 52) extending within the cylinder block (1).

A modular internal combustion engine (10) comprising a cam crank (74) having a piston stroke guide pattern (76) to control the stroke motion profile of the piston (70), which can be expanded by replacing the crank shaft (22) with a longer crank shaft (22), and installing a supplemental engine block (18) with a supplemental cam crank assembly (75).