Joe Ritter's
Swash Plate and Pogo-Stick engines
Joe's Swash Plate engine has a great deal of potential as a full-scale steamboat engine.
Here are a few details:
6 cylinders single acting
bore 0.656 inch
stroke 0.658 inch
total displacement 1.3 cubic inches (22cc)
torque 3.87 in-oz (288gm-cm)
Power output 0.91 Watts at 310 rpm on 15 psi air
Engine has no connecting rods or crankshaft. The six cylinders are horizontal and arranged radially around the horizontal crankshaft. The swash plate is fixed at 23 degrees to the crankshaft. Ball bearing tipped pistons press on the swash plate as the plate wobbles by. There is a rotary inlet valve which is basically a disk with a hole that admits air to each cylinder as it passes by. A rotary cam, basically a disk with a dimple, strikes poppet, spring retained, exhaust valves.
Inlet cut-off is at 2/3 stroke. Exhaust cut-off is at 20 degrees before piston top thus allowing some exhaust compressing to decelerate the piston near the end of the exhaust stroke.
THE SWASHPLATE MOVIES
click here to download an introduction to Joe
Please note that all movie files are large.
Don't download unless you have broadband or way too much time on your handsClick on the image below to show the engine running
Sorry about the plastic coverings.
In the photo below you can see the poppet cam depressing the lower exhaust valve.
Click on the image below to see the poppet cam in action.
Additional details of the poppet valves
Note circlips holding spring retainers.
Topmost valve in photo below has not been depressed by cam.
Three lower valves have been depressed and are allowing exhaust.
plus a couple of Joe's valve diagrams
The intake disk valve is contained in the area with the painted arrows
POGO-STICK MOVIE AND DETAILS
You can view a short movie of Joe's new Pogo-Stick engine by clicking here
A Few Engine Details:
Bore 0.577"
Stroke 0.19"
Plate Angle 22 degrees
Plate working radius 0.74"
Graphite piston in polished aluminum cylinder
Piston rod tipped with carbon-filled PTFE (Teflon) running in an aluminum cup
Piston-cylinder is anchored by a ball and socket joint, ball diameter 0.5" which also functions as an inlet and exhaust valve
Ball inlet-outlet port diameter 0.055"
Cut-off at 2/3 stroke
