April 9, 1946.

1.. BlRKlGT

2,397,941

SUPERCHARGED INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE

Filed Sept. 22, 1942

LOU/5 5/k/r/67;

42,391,941

Patented Apr. 9, 1946

i'i'ED STATES PATENT GFFICE

SUPERCHABGED INTERNAL-COMBUSTION
ENGINE

Louis Birkigt, Versoix, Geneva, Switzerland

Application September 22, 1942, Serial No. 459,322
In France May 22,

(CI. 60-13)
substantially similar to free-wheel 5. The inner
nal combustion. engines whereinpure or carbu- ' member 32 of the free-wheel 8 is carried by a
shaft 9 driven by engine shaft l0 through a mul
retted air is fed under pressure to the engine cyl
tiplying gearing which, in the example illustrated,
inders and refers more particularly to aircraft
is formed of a pair of bevel gears, l6 and IT.
engines intended to operate at variable heights

5 Claims.
This invention relates to supercharged inter

The operation is as follows:

At low and average altitudes and under cruis
ing conditions vanes II are so disposed that the
such engines with a supercharger connected
exhaust gases are directed towards nozzles I2
through a unidirectional or free-wheel gear to a
gas turbine which may be operated by the exhaust 10 from which they issue into the atmosphere and
help by reaction effect the propelling of the air
gases from the engine cylinders, and also through
craft. The exhaust gas turbines are idle, but
another unidirectional or free-wheel gear to a
above sea level.
> The lnventionprimarily consists in providing

shaft I3 is driven by the engine shaft l0 through

driving shaft driven by the engine itself, the ar
rangement being such that the supercharger may
free-wheel 8, while free-wheel Ii is inactive, spin
be driven by the engine when the turbine is idle 15 dle 6 being at standstill; The ratio between the
engine speed audthe supercharger speed is pref
and may also be driven by the turbine itself at a
erably such that the pressure ratio is low, which
speed higher than the speed corresponding to
is the most favourable condition at low heights.
the engine drive.
'
When the aircraft height increases, vanes II
'In the annexed drawing:
.
are progressively closed and the exhaust gas tur
_ Fig, 1 diagrammatically shows, with parts in
bines are thus operated. When they reach a.
section, an aircraft engine provided with a su
speed equal to the speed of shaft l3, and the free percharger in accordance with this invention.
wheel 5 becomes active and connects shafts 8 and
Figs. 2 and 3 are sectional views taken through
I3 with each other, whereby the power delivered
lines 11-11 and III-III of Fig, 1.
- by turbines I helps the engine to drive the super
The engine illustrated in Fig. l is of the V
charger 4. This power is therefore saved on the
cylinder type, the cylinders being indicated at l
engine shaft proper.
with their inlet pipes 2 and exhaust pipes 3. a The
When-the power from turbines I exceeds the

supercharger is formed of a centrifugal com

pressor 4 carried at one end of a tubular shaft l3

provided at its other end with a unidirectional

power required to drive the supercharger at the

gearor free-wheel device indicated generally by

wheel 8 becomes in turn inactive and the super

charger is exclusively driven by the exhaust gas
turbines. The engine operates as a supercharged

the reference numeral 5 in Fig. 1.

'

As shown in Fig. 3, free-wheel 6 comprises an

inner member 20 provided with wedge~shaped
teeth, an outer member 22 co-axial with the inner

speed corresponding to the engine drive, free-'

engine provided with a turbo-compressor set,

since the mechanical connection between shafts ~

member, and rollers 24 co-acting with both mem

Ill and I3 is then suppressed.

bers to connect the same for one direction of the

Since the turbines only-operate at high alti

tudes, it is not so important that forced cooling

torque transmitted. The inner member 2a is

keyed on shaft l3 while the outer member 22 is

tatably mounted, as shown in Fig. 1, the said spin

dle being supported by suitable bearings not il
lustrated.

'

means be provided as in some of the known con

In some cases the forced cooling may
even be dispensed with. In the event the tur

40 structions.

keyed on a spindle 6 on which shaft I3 is ro

'

bine should stop, which occurs sometimes under

certain conditions of altitudes and speed, the en
gine is still supercharged, as the supercharger is

Spindle 8 extends transversely with respect to

the engine shaft i0, preferably below same and 45 then driven directly by the engine shaft and will
continue to do so until the turbines resume their
at the rearof the engine, and is provided at its
normal operation.
ends with two exhaust gas turbines l.
It will be understood that the above description
The exhaust pipes S are provided with movable
only shows an embodiment of my invention, the
adapted to permit of directing the exhaust gases so details of which may vary within the ambit of the
appended claims.
'
~
either to turbines l or to exhaust nozzles i2, only

vanes ii forming a sort of three-way cock and

one of which is shown.

I claim:

1. In a supercharged internal combustion en

Shaft 83 also carries a toothed pinion is (Figs.
gine an engine shaft; a supercharger adapted to
1 and 2) engaged by a gear wheel is carried by
the outer member all of a free-wheel device 8, 55 feed said engine under pressure; an exhaust gas

3,897,941

e -

turbine actuated by exhaust gases from said en

a mechanical connection between said- engine

gine; a mechanical connection embodying a uni

directional device, interposed between said en'

shaft and said tubular shaft; and a unidirectional

device interposed in said connection to permit
transmission of power from said engine to said

gine shaft and said supercharger to permit trans

mission of power from said engine shait'to said
supercharger; and another mechanical device also
embodying a unidirectional device, interposed be
tween said exhaust gas turbine and said super
charger to permit transmission of power from said
turbine to said supercharger, said exhaust gas 10

supercharger.

4. In an engine as claimed in claim 3, means-to

direct the exhaust gases either directly to the at
mosphere, or to the exhaust gas turbines, or to
both at the same time.

5. In a supercharged internal combustion en

turbine being carried by arotatable spindle and

said supercharger being carried by a hollow shaft

gine an engine shaft; a supercharger adapted to ,

to the atmosphere, or to the exhaust gas turbine,

gine shaft and said supercharger to permit trans

feed said engine under pressure; an exhaust gas

rotatably supported by said spindle.
'
turbine actuated by exhaust gases from said en
gine; a mechanical connection embodying a uni
2. In a supercharged engine as claimed in claim
1, means to direct the exhaust gases either directly 15 directional device. interposed between said en

mission of power from said engine shaft to said

or to both at the same time.
3. In a supercharged internal combustion en
supercharger; another mechanical device also
gine an engine shaft; a supercharger adaptedgto
embodying a unidirectional device, interposed
feed said engine under pressure; a rotatable tu 20 between said exhaust gas turbine and said super
bular shaft to carry said supercharger; a rotat
charger to permit transmission of power from ,

able spindle extending through said tubular shaft,v

said shaft and said spindle being loose with re

said turbine to said supercharger; an exhaust pipe

provided between said engine and said exhaust

spect to each other; an exhaust gas turbine car

gas turbine; a reaction nozzle branched on said
ried by each end of said spindle; a unidirectional 25 exhaust pipe; and a vane adapted to direct the
device to connect said spindle to said tubular
exhaust gases to said reaction nozzle or to said
shaft to permit transmission of power from said
exhaust gas turbine or to both at the same time.
exhaust gas turbines to said supercharger;
LOUIS BIRKIGT.