An internal combustion engine may include a first piston reciprocatingly disposed in a first cylinder, a combustion chamber fluidly coupled with the first cylinder, and an ignition source at least partially disposed within the combustion chamber. An intake valve may provide selective fluid communication between an intake system and the combustion chamber, and an exhaust valve may provide selective fluid communication between an exhaust system and the combustion chamber. A second piston may be reciprocatingly disposed within a second cylinder. A crankshaft may be coupled with the first piston and the second piston for rotational motion associated with reciprocating movement of the first piston and the second piston.

An engine having a cylinder fastened to the engine ease with the biconcave internal partition, which divides the cylinder into the upper and bottom parts. Sparking plugs are mounted on both sides of the partition. The upper and the bottom parts of the cylinder have side scavenging channels which connect suction spaces to the working spaces of both parts of the cylinder. The upper and bottom parts of the cylinder have inlet and outlet orifices. Inside the upper and inside the bottom part of the cylinder and the upper and bottom piston are placed respectively, while both pistons are directed towards each other by the working surfaces. The pistons are connected by a rod that is led through the linear bearing that is embedded in the partition forming a seal. The connecting rod is fastened to the bottom piston and by its other end it is connected to the crankshaft.

An engine having a cylinder fastened to the engine ease with the biconcave internal partition, which divides the cylinder into the upper and bottom parts. Sparking plugs are mounted on both sides of the partition. The upper and the bottom parts of the cylinder have side scavenging channels which connect suction spaces to the working spaces of both parts of the cylinder. The upper and bottom parts of the cylinder have inlet and outlet orifices. Inside the upper and inside the bottom part of the cylinder and the upper and bottom piston are placed respectively, while both pistons are directed towards each other by the working surfaces. The pistons are connected by a rod that is led through the linear bearing that is embedded in the partition forming a seal. The connecting rod is fastened to the bottom piston and by its other end it is connected to the crankshaft.

Method and system for efficient energy recovery from heat source with external combustion engine. Invention include sequentially operating drive mechanism for power pistons and displacement pistons of gamma type Stirling engine, providing nearly ideal pistons operation sequence. Stirling engine is supplemented with working flow fluid control and separation member between working fluid reheater and rest of the engine during high pressure stage. Working fluid is circulated in flow control via one or more consecutive displacement cylinder/power cylinder stages before reheating. Control system is directing working fluid from inlet port to the first displacement cylinder, further to the first power cylinder and after expansion either to reheating or to the next displacement cylinder. Low temperature working fluid is finally directed back to the counter flow type reheater.

Method and system for efficient energy recovery from heat source with external combustion engine. Invention include sequentially operating drive mechanism for power pistons and displacement pistons of gamma type Stirling engine, providing nearly ideal pistons operation sequence. Stirling engine is supplemented with working flow fluid control and separation member between working fluid reheater and rest of the engine during high pressure stage. Working fluid is circulated in flow control via one or more consecutive displacement cylinder/power cylinder stages before reheating. Control system is directing working fluid from inlet port to the first displacement cylinder, further to the first power cylinder and after expansion either to reheating or to the next displacement cylinder. Low temperature working fluid is finally directed back to the counter flow type reheater.

An internal combustion engine may include a first piston reciprocatingly disposed in a first cylinder, a combustion chamber fluidly coupled with the first cylinder, and an ignition source at least partially disposed within the combustion chamber. An intake valve may provide selective fluid communication between an intake system and the combustion chamber, and an exhaust valve may provide selective fluid communication between an exhaust system and the combustion chamber. A second piston may be reciprocatingly disposed within a second cylinder. A crankshaft may be coupled with the first piston and the second piston for rotational motion associated with reciprocating movement of the first piston and the second piston.

A cylinder actuator includes a body assembly and a piston assembly. The body assembly includes a first cylinder nested concentrically within a second cylinder. The piston assembly slides linearly within the first and second cylinders. The piston assembly includes a first piston assembly end and a second piston assembly end. The first piston assembly end includes first and second pistons. The first piston moves within the first cylinder. The second piston moves within the second cylinder. The piston assembly includes first and second piston rods. The first piston rod extends from the first piston through a first end of the first cylinder. The second piston rod extends from the second piston through a first end of the second cylinder. The piston rods are joined at the second end of the piston rod assembly located outside of the first and second cylinders.

A cylinder actuator includes a body assembly and a piston assembly. The body assembly includes a first cylinder nested concentrically within a second cylinder. The piston assembly slides linearly within the first and second cylinders. The piston assembly includes a first piston assembly end and a second piston assembly end. The first piston assembly end includes first and second pistons. The first piston moves within the first cylinder. The second piston moves within the second cylinder. The piston assembly includes first and second piston rods. The first piston rod extends from the first piston through a first end of the first cylinder. The second piston rod extends from the second piston through a first end of the second cylinder. The piston rods are joined at the second end of the piston rod assembly located outside of the first and second cylinders.

Methods, systems, and devices are provided that may include Stirling cycle configurations and/or linear-to-rotary mechanisms in accordance with various embodiments. Some embodiments include a Stirling cycle device that may include a first hot piston contained within a first hot cylinder and a first cold piston contained within a first cold cylinder. A first single actuator may be configured to couple the first hot piston with the first cold piston such that the first hot piston and the first cold piston are on different thermodynamic circuits. The different thermodynamic circuits may include adjacent thermodynamic circuits. The Stirling cycle configuration may be configured as a single-acting alpha Stirling cycle configuration. Some embodiments include a linear-to-rotary mechanism device. The device may include multiple linkages. The device may include a cam plate coupled with the multiple linkages utilizing a cam and multiple cam followers. The linkages may include Watt linkages.

Methods, systems, and devices are provided that may include Stirling cycle configurations and/or linear-to-rotary mechanisms in accordance with various embodiments. Some embodiments include a Stirling cycle device that may include a first hot piston contained within a first hot cylinder and a first cold piston contained within a first cold cylinder. A first single actuator may be configured to couple the first hot piston with the first cold piston such that the first hot piston and the first cold piston are on different thermodynamic circuits. The different thermodynamic circuits may include adjacent thermodynamic circuits. The Stirling cycle configuration may be configured as a single-acting alpha Stirling cycle configuration. Some embodiments include a linear-to-rotary mechanism device. The device may include multiple linkages. The device may include a cam plate coupled with the multiple linkages utilizing a cam and multiple cam followers. The linkages may include Watt linkages.