This invention relates to the field of opposed-piston engines having two pistons in one cylinder configured to have facing heads. Specifically, this is an engine with two crankshafts, two piston heads facing each other in a single cylinder, with the following features: compact size relative to a comparable design, improved or equivalent performance to a comparable design as a result of any of the following: locating crankshafts in a different plane from the cylinder axes; the use of shared duct structures; and the use of an embedded compressor chamber for efficient operation to cover all volumetric requirements, fulfilling the entire thermodynamic cycle, and performing in addition the sweeping and overloading of air or an air/fuel mixture in the cylinder combustion chamber in each revolution of two or more crankshafts, either with or without advancement between the crankshafts.

A set of mechanisms, for use with an internal combustion test engine, for testing cylinder offset during operation of the engine. The test engine specifics may vary, but it is assumed to have a crankcase base that supports a cylinder barrel and cylinder head. During engine operation, a transit plate is secured to the top surface of the crankshaft base, and a pair of wedge plates is secured between the transit plate and the bottom of the cylinder barrel. When the engine is not in operation, the transit plate can be slid in a direction normal to the crankshaft axis (for cylinder offset adjustment), and the wedge plates can be moved relative to each other (for cylinder height adjustment).

A compressor has a crankcase in which a crankshaft is rotatably mounted in a crankspace. The crankcase contains at least one cylinder space in which a piston, mounted eccentrically on the crankshaft by way of a connecting rod, can be driven in reciprocating motion. The crankshaft is connected, via a gearing having a modulus m, to a drive source, wherein the gear wheel arranged on the crankshaft engages with the gear wheel on the drive source. The axis of rotation of the crankshaft is offset with respect to the center axis of the cylinder space by an amount dl which is a whole multiple of m/2. The center axis of the cylinder space is understood as the axis which proceeds from the center point of the base area of the cylinder space, perpendicular to this base area, and along which the piston moves. This makes it possible to change the transmission ratio of the gearing within an advantageous range, without it being necessary to undertake modifications to the external dimensions of the compressor or to the motive source. Depending on the transmission ratio, it is possible to reduce the operating noise of the compressor or to increase the air capacity.

An offset in-line four cylinder engine has reduced vibration generated by a secondary inertia couple based on lateral pressures from pistons. A reference line passes through a shaft center of a crankshaft and is parallel or substantially parallel to cylinder axes of four cylinders as viewed in the axial direction of the crankshaft. As viewed in the axial direction of the crankshaft, the direction in which the reference line extends is referred to as first direction, and the direction perpendicular to the first direction is referred to as second direction. A distance between the shaft center of a first balancer shaft and the reference line as measured in the second direction is different from the distance between the shaft center of a second balancer shaft and the reference line as measured in the second direction, or a magnitude of a first unbalancing portion is different from a magnitude of the second unbalancing portion.

A reciprocating internal combustion engine having a line of cylinders arranged in parallel which are joined via connecting rods and pistons by means of a crank drive that is jointly mounted in a crankshaft bearing, whereby the crankshaft bearing of the crank drive can have been offset relative to the cylinder axis.

A fluid flow machine includes a casing including a cylinder and a crankshaft support. A piston is slidably disposed in the cylinder for reciprocating along an axis of the cylinder. A crankshaft includes a main bearing journal rotationally supported in the crankshaft support, a crankpin radially offset from an axis of the main bearing journal and a crank web connecting the main bearing journal and the crankpin. A multi-linkage connecting rod mechanism is connected between the piston and crankpin and includes a connecting rod, a first hinge link and a crankpin link pivotally connected to each other. A force transfer mechanism connects the multi-linkage connecting rod mechanism to the casing for transferring a vertical piston force into a horizontal crankpin force.

An internal combustion engine (1) is designed so that the center axis P of a cylinder (4) is offset relative to a main journal part (2a) of a crankshaft (2). A bearing cap (17) is designed so that the side toward the cylinder center axis from a main bearing part (18) is secured to a bulkhead (7) by two fastening bolts (24a, 24c) while the side away from the cylinder center axis from the main bearing part is secured to the bulkhead by one fastening bolt (24b) and that the bearing cap securing force on the side toward the cylinder center axis from the main bearing part (18) is greater than the bearing cap securing force on the side away from the cylinder center axis.

A set of mechanisms, for use with an internal combustion test engine, for testing cylinder offset during operation of the engine. The test engine specifics may vary, but it is assumed to have a crankcase base that supports a cylinder barrel and cylinder head. During engine operation, a transit plate is secured to the top surface of the crankshaft base, and a pair of wedge plates is secured between the transit plate and the bottom of the cylinder barrel. When the engine is not in operation, the transit plate can be slid in a direction normal to the crankshaft axis (for cylinder offset adjustment), and the wedge plates can be moved relative to each other (for cylinder height adjustment).