Radial Updates

[cfellows]

Thought I'd bring folks up to date on the revisions to my radial air engine. These changes make the overall build quite a bit simpler and the end result should be a more consistent runner. The engine will still use my slave exhaust valve system so the sound of the engine running should remain the same.

Here's a picture of the engine with all the back parts removed from the crankcase. Didn't clean off the oil and gunk so it looks a little rough...

For reference, this shows the piece which is driven by the crankshaft and turns the valve gear assembly.

Here are the valve gears and the tubular valve which will direct the air to the proper cylinder

The compressed air will be fed into the end of the valve tube and exit out the side.

This is the intermediate timing sleeve and the rearmost part of the crankcase. The intermediate sleeve will turn with a lever and will allow me to adjust the timing of the air supply to the cyinders while the engine is running. There is another piece which bolts to the outside of the intermediate sleeve, holding it to the back plate. This piece hasn't been made yet.

This shows the outside sleeve which will supply air to the cylinders. This sleeve doesn't rotate.

And this shows the 5/32" copper tubing that will be soldered to the outer sleeve and extend to the top of each cylinder.

Chuck

 

[maverick]

Thanks for the update. I'm very interested in any documentation on this engine as I would
like to suggest it for a team build.

Regards,
Mike

 

[cfellows]

Close to being done with the valve assembly and air tubes. Still need to fasten the tube assembly together. I was originally going to solder it, but I think I'll do loctite instead. I don't have a jig to hold the assembly in the right position and I don't particularly want to solder it using the engine as the assembly jig. There shouldn't be any physical stress on these parts so I think Loctite 620 will do the job.

Chuck

 

[Admiral_dk]

Hi Chuck

I'm curious about your crank / rod design - it looks like you do not have a master rod - is that a wrong observation ?

If not, how do you prevent the assembly from rotating (less than 120 degree) forth and back (resulting in power loss and more wear on parts) ?

Impressive work :bow:

 

[cfellows]

Hi Chuck

I'm curious about your crank / rod design - it looks like you do not have a master rod - is that a wrong observation ?

If not, how do you prevent the assembly from rotating (less than 120 degree) forth and back (resulting in power loss and more wear on parts) ?

Impressive work :bow:

Thanks! You can't see it in the picture, but the top connecting rod is fixed and cannot rotate on the center spool.

Chuck

 

[cfellows]

Here's a video which shows the modifications I've made to the radial engine and how it all fits together.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQnPcjO8cz0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQnPcjO8cz0[/ame]

Chuck

 

[mgbrv8]

Now thats neat

Dave

 

[cfellows]

And here's the video of the engine running.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eckbXlyWAHY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eckbXlyWAHY[/ame]

Chuck

 

[Brian Rupnow]

Chuck---you do amazing work!! Congratulations.----Now, if I had that, and a slightly longer hose----I could have a good feed of Chili and then fly down and visit you!! ;D ;D

 

[cfellows]

Chuck---you do amazing work!! Congratulations.----Now, if I had that, and a slightly longer hose----I could have a good feed of Chili and then fly down and visit you!! ;D ;D

Thanks, Brian! Don't see why it wouldn't run on Methane as well as compressed air. :-\

 

[Setarkos]

Looks really nice, and this saves some parts.

I'm just curious about something, I know this is an old thread, but I hope you don't mind.
There is only ball-bearings on the exhaust side now right? It looks like the holes for where the inlet valve stem used to be was open in the pictures, but where they blocked in some way when you ran the engine?

/S