HOT GAS ENGINE

HOT GAS ENGINE A multi-cylinder self-starting hot gas engine consists of two parallel pairs of opposed displacer cylinders with respective displacer members mounted for movement therein and two parallel pairs of opposed work cylinders disposed parallel to the displacer cylinders and having respective pistons arranged to reciprocate therein; each work cylinder communicating with a respective displacer cylinder to provide a cold end chamber. An output drive is connected to the pistons. First and second transmission means connect the displacers and pistons respectively for synchronized movement offset in phase within the respective cylinders. An adjustable phase displacer interconnects the first and second transmission means for adjusting the phase relation of the displacers with respect to their associated pistons from an in-phase condition in which no torque is applied to or from the output drive to an optimum-phase displacement position in which the maximum torque is applied to or from the output drive. A fluid heat source at the displacer cylinder hot end providing high heat transfer relationship between the gaseous medium and the heating fluid, so that when the engine is at rest with the displacers in the in-phase condition, movement of the displacers, in response to operation of the adjustable phase displacers away from the in-phase condition causes an immediate imbalance in pressure applied to the pistons to provide an immediate self-start. Cooling means is provided at the cold end for cooling the gaseous medium therein.