Elbow engine
Encyclopedia
An elbow engine is a piston
-based engine typically fed by steam
or compressed air
to drive a flywheel and/or mechanical load. Although not commonly used today for practical purposes, it is still built by hobbyists for its uniqueness.
. The two blocks are placed at 90° to each other. Each piston is L-shaped, and circular in cross section with one end fitted into each cylinder block. The two cylinder blocks rotate together, coupled only by the pistons. Engine output is taken from the rotation of one cylinder block.
Pressure is supplied to the holes on one half each cylinder at the point where the pistons are at a stage of upward travel, and an opening to exhaust is provided to the second half where the pistons are at their descent. The rotation of the cylinders provides the valving effect necessary for operation; the pressure feeds and exhaust remain stationary. This compounded with the fact that each shaft features two pistons results in a low number of moving parts.
Piston
A piston is a component of reciprocating engines, reciprocating pumps, gas compressors and pneumatic cylinders, among other similar mechanisms. It is the moving component that is contained by a cylinder and is made gas-tight by piston rings. In an engine, its purpose is to transfer force from...
-based engine typically fed by steam
Steam
Steam is the technical term for water vapor, the gaseous phase of water, which is formed when water boils. In common language it is often used to refer to the visible mist of water droplets formed as this water vapor condenses in the presence of cooler air...
or compressed air
Compressed air
Compressed air is air which is kept under a certain pressure, usually greater than that of the atmosphere. In Europe, 10 percent of all electricity used by industry is used to produce compressed air, amounting to 80 terawatt hours consumption per year....
to drive a flywheel and/or mechanical load. Although not commonly used today for practical purposes, it is still built by hobbyists for its uniqueness.
Principle of operation
Elbow engines have two rotating, circular, cylinder blocks. Each block contains a ring of parallel cylinders and can itself rotate on a central axis, similar to a revolver cylinderCylinder (firearms)
In firearms terminology, the Cylinder refers to the cylindrical, rotating part of a revolver containing multiple cartridge chambers. The cylinder revolves around a central axis in the revolver to bring each individual chamber into alignment with the barrel for firing...
. The two blocks are placed at 90° to each other. Each piston is L-shaped, and circular in cross section with one end fitted into each cylinder block. The two cylinder blocks rotate together, coupled only by the pistons. Engine output is taken from the rotation of one cylinder block.
Pressure is supplied to the holes on one half each cylinder at the point where the pistons are at a stage of upward travel, and an opening to exhaust is provided to the second half where the pistons are at their descent. The rotation of the cylinders provides the valving effect necessary for operation; the pressure feeds and exhaust remain stationary. This compounded with the fact that each shaft features two pistons results in a low number of moving parts.