A rotary engine casing having at least one end wall of an internal cavity for a rotor including a seal-engaging plate sealingly engaging the peripheral wall to partially seal the internal cavity and a member mounted adjacent the seal-engaging plate outside of the internal cavity. The member and seal-engaging plate having abutting mating surfaces which cooperate to define between them at least one fluid cavity communicating with a source of liquid coolant. When the casing includes a plurality of rotor housings, the end wall may be between rotor housings. A method of manufacturing a rotary engine casing is also discussed.

A socket assembly for rotating a nut, the nut having an annular body with a radially inner edge defining a torque transferring surface, the socket assembly has: an intermediate socket extending axially relative to a central axis between a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the intermediate socket engageable by a tool for rotating the intermediate socket about the central axis; and socket segments detachably connected to the intermediate socket in a circumferential array about the central axis, a socket segment of the socket segments having a nut-engaging end projecting radially outwardly relative to the distal end of the intermediate socket and engageable with the torque transferring surface of the nut to transfer a torque from the intermediate socket to the nut via the socket segments.

A rotary internal combustion engine having an insert opening defined in a hot area of one of the walls of the stator body and in communication with its internal cavity. A cooling jacket is received in and lines the insert opening. An insert is sealingly received in the cooling jacket and made of a material having a greater heat resistance than that of the wall. The cooling jacket extends between the insert and the wall along most of the length of the insert to prevent direct contact between the insert and the wall. A cooling gallery surrounds the cooling jacket and the insert, and is defined at least in part by the cooling jacket such that a coolant circulated therein contacts the cooling jacket. The cooling jacket is located between the cooling gallery and the insert.

A rotary internal combustion engine having an insert opening defined in a hot area of one of the walls of the stator body and in communication with its internal cavity. A cooling jacket is received in and lines the insert opening. An insert is sealingly received in the cooling jacket and made of a material having a greater heat resistance than that of the wall. The cooling jacket extends between the insert and the wall along most of the length of the insert to prevent direct contact between the insert and the wall. A cooling gallery surrounds the cooling jacket and the insert, and is defined at least in part by the cooling jacket such that a coolant circulated therein contacts the cooling jacket. The cooling jacket is located between the cooling gallery and the insert.

A Circle-Ellipse Engine comprises a stationary circular outer Housing having a fixed elliptical inner cam surface, and a separate internal round Rotor partitioned into equal segments that are populated by identical movable radial Vanes. During rotation, the end of the Vanes are positioned a constant distance from the elliptical inner cam surface of the Housing. The internal round Rotor has the same radius as the minor axis of the elliptical inner cam surface. During rotation, a variable height cavity is created representing the difference between the major and minor axes of the elliptical inner cam surface and the Rotor face.

The position of the radial Vanes is guided by the slots in the symmetrical Rotor, extending to the elliptical inner cam surface of the Housing. The precise extension is governed by a pin track machined into the dual End Plates.

There are no pistons, camshaft, timing chains, valves, valve lifters, rocker arms, connecting rods, or wrist pins. As a benefit, size and weight are significantly reduced when compared to a reciprocating engine of similar horsepower. Normal aspirated air is continuously drawn into the engine when an adjacent pair of radial Vanes passes the air inlet port. Similarly, exhaust products are expelled after a combustion event when the pair of adjacent Vanes passes over the exhaust port.

The resultant geometer results in a continuous implementation of the Otto Cycle; namely intake, compression, expansion or power stroke, and exhaust during a single rotation of the internal round Rotor.

Because the Otto Cycle is executed each revolution of the Rotor, the Circle-Ellipse Engine achieves the same power as a conventional reciprocating engine of the same displacement and compression ratio, at half the RPM. This implementation greatly reduces component ware and extends the life and maintenance cycle by a factor of four. As a side benefit, the power losses and vibration common to all reciprocating engines are eliminated.

A Circle-Ellipse Engine comprises a stationary circular outer Housing having a fixed elliptical inner cam surface, and a separate internal round Rotor partitioned into equal segments that are populated by identical movable radial Vanes. During rotation, the end of the Vanes are positioned a constant distance from the elliptical inner cam surface of the Housing. The internal round Rotor has the same radius as the minor axis of the elliptical inner cam surface. During rotation, a variable height cavity is created representing the difference between the major and minor axes of the elliptical inner cam surface and the Rotor face.

The position of the radial Vanes is guided by the slots in the symmetrical Rotor, extending to the elliptical inner cam surface of the Housing. The precise extension is governed by a pin track machined into the dual End Plates.

There are no pistons, camshaft, timing chains, valves, valve lifters, rocker arms, connecting rods, or wrist pins. As a benefit, size and weight are significantly reduced when compared to a reciprocating engine of similar horsepower. Normal aspirated air is continuously drawn into the engine when an adjacent pair of radial Vanes passes the air inlet port. Similarly, exhaust products are expelled after a combustion event when the pair of adjacent Vanes passes over the exhaust port.

The resultant geometer results in a continuous implementation of the Otto Cycle; namely intake, compression, expansion or power stroke, and exhaust during a single rotation of the internal round Rotor.

Because the Otto Cycle is executed each revolution of the Rotor, the Circle-Ellipse Engine achieves the same power as a conventional reciprocating engine of the same displacement and compression ratio, at half the RPM. This implementation greatly reduces component ware and extends the life and maintenance cycle by a factor of four. As a side benefit, the power losses and vibration common to all reciprocating engines are eliminated.

A rotary engine casing having at least one end wall of an internal cavity for a rotor including a seal-engaging plate sealingly engaging the peripheral wall to partially seal the internal cavity and a member mounted adjacent the seal-engaging plate outside of the internal cavity. The member and seal-engaging plate having abutting mating surfaces which cooperate to define between them at least one fluid cavity communicating with a source of liquid coolant. When the casing includes a plurality of rotor housings, the end wall may be between rotor housings. A method of manufacturing a rotary engine casing is also discussed.

A rotary engine casing having at least one end wall of an internal cavity for a rotor including a seal-engaging plate sealingly engaging the peripheral wall to partially seal the internal cavity and a member mounted adjacent the seal-engaging plate outside of the internal cavity. The member and seal-engaging plate having abutting mating surfaces which cooperate to define between them at least one fluid cavity communicating with a source of liquid coolant. When the casing includes a plurality of rotor housings, the end wall may be between rotor housings. A method of manufacturing a rotary engine casing is also discussed.

A housing assembly for a rotary engine, has: a rotor housing extending around an axis, the rotor housing having an inner face facing a rotor cavity; side housings secured to opposite sides of the rotor housing, the rotor cavity bounded axially between the side housings; and a seal received within a groove at an interface between the rotor housing and a first side housing, the groove annularly extending around the axis, located outwardly of the inner face, and overlapping a peripheral section of the first side housing, the seal having: an elastomeric member compressed between the peripheral section and the rotor housing; and a shield disposed inwardly of the elastomeric member, the shield having a melting point above a temperature of combustion gases, the shield in contact with both of the peripheral section of the first side housing and the rotor housing.

A housing assembly for a rotary engine, has: a rotor housing extending around an axis, the rotor housing having an inner face facing a rotor cavity; side housings secured to opposite sides of the rotor housing, the rotor cavity bounded axially between the side housings; and a seal received within a groove at an interface between the rotor housing and a first side housing, the groove annularly extending around the axis, located outwardly of the inner face, and overlapping a peripheral section of the first side housing, the seal having: an elastomeric member compressed between the peripheral section and the rotor housing; and a shield disposed inwardly of the elastomeric member, the shield having a melting point above a temperature of combustion gases, the shield in contact with both of the peripheral section of the first side housing and the rotor housing.