A variable volume chamber device is disclosed. The chambers may be defined by the space between four pivotally connected vanes contained within a housing. The vanes may be connected so as to create a sealed interior chamber that may be used as a combustion chamber in an internal combustion engine, or as a pumping chamber in a pump or compressor. The four-vane assembly may also form additional variable volume chambers between the vanes and a surrounding structure. The plurality of variable volume chambers may be interconnected to progressively act on a working fluid.

A rotor can comprise a body having arcuate voids each presenting away from a rotation axis and, for each void, a vane. The vane is mounted to the body for pivotal movement between retracted and extended positions; is adapted to sweep the void in the manner in which a piston sweeps a cylinder during movement between the positions; and terminates in a tip. A stator defines the rotation axis; and has an annular surface which, in use, is swept by the tips during rotation of the body. The surface is positioned such that, in each rotation, each vane cycles between its extended and retracted positions. A sealing arrangement defines a pair of ports and, in combination with the rotor and stator, defines, in use, chambers that increase in volume when in communication with one of the ports and that decrease in volume when in communication with the other of the ports.

A rotor can comprise a body having arcuate voids each presenting away from a rotation axis and, for each void, a vane. The vane is mounted to the body for pivotal movement between retracted and extended positions; is adapted to sweep the void in the manner in which a piston sweeps a cylinder during movement between the positions; and terminates in a tip. A stator defines the rotation axis; and has an annular surface which, in use, is swept by the tips during rotation of the body. The surface is positioned such that, in each rotation, each vane cycles between its extended and retracted positions. A sealing arrangement defines a pair of ports and, in combination with the rotor and stator, defines, in use, chambers that increase in volume when in communication with one of the ports and that decrease in volume when in communication with the other of the ports.

The invention relates to a rotary sliding vane machine (1) for fluid processing, comprising a housing (2) with a cavity (4) with a rotor (9). Vanes (12) are arranged in outwardly directed slots (13) in the rotor (9), and relative sliding between the vanes and the rotor provides spaces with variable volumes in the rotational direction. Each vane is supported by a vane bearing apparatus (102) comprising a slide bearing body (105) with a slot (13) forming a slide bearing for the vane (12), and a cylindrical convex face (116) facing away from the slot (13), and, on each side of the slot (13), a pivot bearing pad (106) with a cylindrical concave face (117) facing the slide bearing convex face (116), forming a pivot bearing for the vane.

The invention relates to a rotary sliding vane machine (1) for fluid processing, comprising a housing (2) with a cavity (4) with a rotor (9). Vanes (12) are arranged in outwardly directed slots (13) in the rotor (9), and relative sliding between the vanes and the rotor provides spaces with variable volumes in the rotational direction. Each vane is supported by a vane bearing apparatus (102) comprising a slide bearing body (105) with a slot (13) forming a slide bearing for the vane (12), and a cylindrical convex face (116) facing away from the slot (13), and, on each side of the slot (13), a pivot bearing pad (106) with a cylindrical concave face (117) facing the slide bearing convex face (116), forming a pivot bearing for the vane.

A rotary drive includes a housing; a shaft rotatably mounted within the housing and rotatable about a drive axis; a passage internal the housing and extending circumferentially about the shaft; a stator vane within the passage; and a rotor vane within the passage. The stator and rotor vanes are movable between respective closed positions in which the stator and rotor vanes separate the passage into a circumferentially expanding chamber in fluid communication with an inlet in the housing and a circumferentially collapsing chamber in fluid communication with an outlet in the housing, and respective open positions in which the rotor vane is movable circumferentially past the stator vane during rotation of the shaft.

A rotary drive includes a housing; a shaft rotatably mounted within the housing and rotatable about a drive axis; a passage internal the housing and extending circumferentially about the shaft; a stator vane within the passage; and a rotor vane within the passage. The stator and rotor vanes are movable between respective closed positions in which the stator and rotor vanes separate the passage into a circumferentially expanding chamber in fluid communication with an inlet in the housing and a circumferentially collapsing chamber in fluid communication with an outlet in the housing, and respective open positions in which the rotor vane is movable circumferentially past the stator vane during rotation of the shaft.

The invention comprises a method for heating a fluid in an engine, including: a rotor rotating relative to a stator about a shaft and a set of vanes extending radially outward, relative to an elongated axis of the shaft, between the rotator and the stator, the set of vanes separating a set of expansion chambers, where the method comprises the steps of: (1) applying a shear force to the fluid to form a gas with a rotatable chamber within the shaft of the engine; and (2) exhausting the gas from the shaft to a rotor-vane chamber, the rotor-vane chamber comprising a void in a vane slot on a shaft side of a first vane, of the set of vanes. Optionally, the gas applies a rotation force by passing the gas from the first vane to a trailing expansion chamber of the set of expansion chambers.

The invention comprises a rotary engine apparatus and method of use thereof, where the rotary engine comprises multiple injection ports. Optional injection ports include a first port in an expansion chamber, a second port in the expansion chamber after a first rotation of the rotor, a third port into the expansion chamber after a second rotation of the rotor, a fourth port from a fuel path through a shaft of the rotary engine, and/or a fifth port into a rotor-vane chamber between the rotor and a vane. Optionally, one or more of the injection ports are controlled through mechanical valving and/or through electronic and/or computer control.

The disclosure provides rotary machines that include, in one embodiment, a shaft defining a central axis A, the shaft having a first end and a second end. The shaft can have a first gearbox disposed thereon defining one or more cavities therein. At least one contour is slidably received into an arcuate cavity in an exterior surface of the gearbox. The contour has a convex outer surface that cooperates with an inwardly facing curved surface of a housing to form a working volume. A gearbox mechanism consisting of gears, crankshafts, bearings and connecting rod creates an oscillatory motion 2 times per revolution such that the contour can navigate about the arcuate cavity without contacting the cavity at a high rate of rotating speed. Thus, said working volume can expand and compresses twice per rotatable shaft revolution.