Title of Invention

PISTON MACHINE

Abstract

An engine/pump having a shaft with a shaft axis and a crank shaft with a crank axis oblique to the shaft axis, piston/cylinder assemblies to rotate about the shaft axis, a reciprocator to rotate about the crank shaft to allow during the rotation of the reciprocator about the crank shaft, the reciprocal movement of the pistons in the cylinders, the pistons connected to the reciprocator by several connection means, ported means relative to which the cylinders move sealably to allow times to the reciprocal movement of each piston in the cylinder and the rotational position, the opening and closing of each cylinder. The reciprocator remaining in rotational parity with the piston/cylinder assembly by the use of beveled alignment gears. The piston/cylinder assemblies are indexed at a predetermined rate to the relative rotation of the crank shaft through indexing means which are preferably a displacement beveled gearing set.

Full Text

The present invention relates to a pistoned machine, and in particular although not solely to an axial cylinder rotary internal combustion engine. It is envisaged that the present invention will also be suitable operating as an axial cylinder displacement pump. In my New Zealand Patent Specification No. 270736 (equivalent to PCT/NZ96/00018) there is disclosed an axial piston machine utilising either single or double acting piston arrangements which act within corresponding cylinders located and rotatable about a shaft axis where the piston assembly rotates about an angled crank shaft of an input/output shaft. The entire specification of NZ 270736 forms part of this specification by way of cross reference. Positive drive in my earlier invention of NZ 270736 was provided by having one connection rod arrangement with only 2 degrees of freedom as opposed to 3 degrees of freedom for the others. This induced stress on the connection rod joint to provide the torque induced by the displacement of the pistons to the output shaft. Also disclosed in the specification of NZ 270736 is an engine operating in a similar mode but in a spherical configuration utilising bevelled gearing to provide indexing between the casing of the engine and piston providing members. The preferred form of engine disclosed in NZ 270736 although sufficiently compact, requires the use of either annular and planetary gearing which do not necessarily add to the compactness of the engine, or requires difficult machining of spherical components. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a piston machine which will provide the public with a useful choice. Accordingly in a first aspect the present invention consists an internal combustion engine comprising; a shaft having a shaft axis and carrying a crank shaft having a crank axis oblique to the shaft axis to intersect therewith at a notional point (hereinafter referred to as point X), an array of piston and cylinder assemblies to rotate as assemblies relative to said shaft and about said shaft axis, each said "cylinder" being of any appropriate cross section (with respect to its reciprocal axis) and the cross section of each complementary piston being complementary to the cross section of its cylinder, each said cylinder having at least one inlet/outlet port reciprocator mounted to rotate relative to the crank shaft about said crank axis, to allow during the rotation of the reciprocator about said crank axis, the requisite reciprocal displacement of each piston within its associated cylinder between top dead centre (TDC) and bottom dead centre (BDC) as the array of piston and cylinder assemblies rotates relative to and about the shaft axis for each piston a connection means as an extensions from or part of said reciprocator, ported means relative to which said at least on inlet/outlet port of said each cylinder of said array move sealably to allow (indexed at some rate to the reciprocal movement of each piston in its cylinder and to the rotational position of the inlet/outlet port(s) of each cylinder relative to said ported means) the four or two cycle stages of a four stroke or two stroke combustion engine, a first bevelled alignment gear mounted to or an extension of said array of piston and cylinder assemblies to remain stationary relative to said cylinders and to rotate therewith about said shaft, engaged at a gear face thereof with a complementary gear face of a second bevelled alignment gear of said bevelled alignment gear set mounted to or an extension of said reciprocator to remain stationary relative thereto and to rotate about said crank shaft, an indexing means to index the rotation of said array of piston and cylinder assemblies and reciprocator to said ported means WHEREIN said first and said second bevelled engagement gears are of identical pitch diameter (same number of teeth; ratio of 1:1) such that the piston and cylinder assemblies remain in rotational parity with said reciprocator about said shaft, and WHEREIN said indexing means consists of a first bevelled displacement gear of a bevelled displacement gear set located about and concentric with said shaft, mounted to or an extension of the ported means to remain stationary relative thereto and engaged at a gear face thereof with a complementary gear face of a second bevelled displacement gear of said bevelled displacement gear set located concentric with the crank shaft and mounted to or an extension of said reciprocator to remain stationary relative thereto (and therefore also said second of said bevelled alignment gears) wherein the ratio of pitch diameter of said first bevelled displacement gear to the pitch diameter of said second bevelled displacement gear is selected from one of (a) N:N-M (where N is the number of cylinders of said array of piston and cylinder assembly) for an engine where the shaft counter-rotates the array of piston and cylinder assembly and (b) N:N-1 (where N is the number of cylinders of said array of piston and cylinder assembly) for an engine where the shaft co-rotates the array of piston and cylinder assembly. Preferably when the ratio of pitch diameter of said first bevelled displacement gear to the pitch diameter of said second bevelled displacement gear is N: N+1 the first of said bevelled displacement gears has an inwardly gear face engaged as a displaceable point contact with an outwardly gear face of said second of said bevelled displacement gears. In such alternative preferably when the ratio of pitch diameter of said first bevelled displacement gear to the pitch diameter of said second bevelled displacement gear is N:N-1 the first of said bevelled displacement gears has an outwardly gear face engaged as a displaceable point contact with an inwardly gear face of said second of said bevelled displacement gears. Preferably the conical distance of said first and said second bevelled displacement gears is identical. Preferably the conical distance of said first and said second bevelled alignment gears is identical. Preferably the conical apex of said first and said second bevelled alignment gears coincide at point X. Preferably the conical apex of said first and said second bevelled displacement gears and the conical apex of said first and said second bevelled alignment gears coincide at point X. Preferably said first bevelled alignment gear is concentric with the shaft axis and the second bevelled alignment gear is concentric with said crank axis. Preferably the crankshaft is a separate member secured to said shaft by suitable securing means such as a shaft pin(s) shrink fitting or welding or the like, to ensure that it remains fixed and non rotatable relative to said shaft. Preferably said crankshaft and said shaft are forged or cast to form a single piece. Preferably said engine has one array of pistons and cylinder assemblies. Preferably said engine has two arrays of piston and cylinder assemblies, each inlet/outlet port of each cylinder of each said array moving sealably relative to opposed porting means, wherein there is provided for each piston of each array a said connection means extending or forming part of said reciprocator. Preferably said cylinders of said array(s) of piston and cylinder assemblies are held in a fixed relationship by a cylinder support means. Preferably said array(s) of piston and cylinder assemblies are fastened to said cylinder support means. Preferably said cylinder support means is supported by roller or ball bearings with their rotational axes concentric with said shaft axis. Preferably said cylinder support means comprises a sleeve substantially concentric with said shaft axis and located at least in part about said shaft wherein each cylinder of said array of pistons and cylinder assemblies is secured by suitable fastening means to said sleeve. Preferably said fastening means are machine screws, bolts or the like wherein each cylinder is provided with at least two apertures through which said machine screws, bolts or the like may extend through to allow their threaded engagement with corresponding threaded apertures in said sleeve. Preferably at least one of said roller or ball bearings is located between said cylinder support means and a boss member or region of said ported means extending towards point X about said shaft and an another of said roller or ball bearings is located between said cylinder support means and said shaft at a point closer to point X, both of said roller or ball bearings concentric with said shaft. Preferably said ported means has a planar contact surface substantially normal to the shaft axis with which said inlet/outlet port(s) of each cylinder sealably engage, and presents thereat at appropriately spaced intervals on a pitch circle diameter(s) air/fuel inlet and combustion gas outlet ports and optionally (for spark ignition engines an ignition means) to correspond at appropriate timing to the at least one inlet/outlet port of each cylinder. Preferably a cylinder port seal is provided for each of said at least one inlet/outlet port of each cylinder, located about the opening of said at least one inlet/outlet port of each cylinder and located against (at least during appropriate periods to reduce pressure loss and intake vacuum within each said cylinder) said planar contact surface of said ported means. Preferably each said cylinder port seal is substantially a cylindrical shaped member located in part within a recess of said cylinder and provided with an aperture therethough to expose said inlet/outlet port of said cylinder, said cylindrical shaped member protruding beyond the recess to present a face thereof adjacent to said planar contact surface. Preferably an annular ring concentric with said shaft axis is provided with apertures complementary to and locate about the outer cylindrical surface of each said cylindrical shaped member, to locate between and about the cylinder port seals of the array of cylinders wherein, for each cylinder port seal there is located two sealing rings each within grooved recesses in the outer cylindrical surface of said cylindrical shaped member, a first of said sealing rings positioned and adapted to locate against an inwardly facing wall of said recess of said cylinder and a second of said sealing rings positioned and adapted to locate against and inwardly facing wall of the aperture of said annular ring. Preferably said cylinders are linear to allow linear displacement of said pistons therein. Preferably the linear axes of each cylinder are parallel. Preferably said cross-section of each cylinder is circular, the cross-section of each complimentary piston also being circular. Preferably each cylinder has one inlet/outlet port. Preferably said reciprocator is rotatably mounted from said crankshaft by the use of roller and/or ball bearing(s). Preferably said first and second of said bevelled alignment gears have an outwardly facing gear face. Preferably said connection means for each piston is a connection rod pivotally connected at a first end to said reciprocator and at a second end to said piston. Preferably said connection rod at said first end is provided with pivoting means which allow its rotation displacement to said reciprocator about an axis tangential to the rotational path of said reciprocator about said crankshaft and about an axis coinciding with a radial plane from said crank axis. Preferably at said second end said connection rod is provided with pivoting means to allow its rotational displacement relative to said piston about an axis tangential to the path of rotation of the piston about the shaft axis and about a rotation axis in a radial plane from said shaft axis. Preferably said indexing means is an annular and planetary gearing arrangement wherein the annular gear is carried by the cylinder support means, at least two planetary gears displaceably fixed to said ported means (but rotatable about their axes) and geared to and between said annular gear and a gear of said shaft. Preferably each said cylinder is releasably secured to said cylinder support means (or extension thereof) by fasting means and said first end of said connection rod is releasably secured to said reciprocator to allow the removal as a unit of a cylinder and piston assembly. Preferably the engine is further provided with an engine casing to encompass said piston and cylinder assemblies, cylinder support means and reciprocator, said engine casing providing a coverable opening of an appropriate size to allow the removal of said cylinder piston assembly. In a further aspect the present invention consists in a fluid displacement machine comprising a power input shaft having a shaft axis and carrying a crank shaft having a crank axis oblique to the shaft axis to intersect therewith at a notional point (hereinafter referred to as point X), an array of piston and cylinder assemblies to rotate as assemblies relative to said shaft and about said shaft axis, each said "cylinder" being of any appropriate cross section (with respect to its reciprocal axis) and the cross section of each complementary piston being complementary to the cross section of its cylinder, each said cylinder having at least one inlet/outlet port reciprocator mounted to rotate relative to the crank shaft about said crank axis, to allow during the rotation of the reciprocator about said crank axis, the requisite reciprocal displacement of each piston within its associated cylinder between top dead centre (TDC) and bottom dead centre (BDC) as the array of piston and cylinder assemblies rotates relative to and about the shaft axis for each piston a connection means as an extensions from or part of said reciprocator. ported means relative to which said at least on inlet/outlet port of said each cylinder of said array move sealably to allow (indexed at some rate to the reciprocal movement of each piston in its cylinder and to the rotational position of the inlet/outlet port(s) of each cylinder relative to said ported means) the induction and delivery strokes of fluid therethrough. a first bevelled alignment gear mounted to or an extension of said array of piston and cylinder assemblies to remain stationary relative to said cylinders and to rotate therewith about said shaft, engaged at a gear face thereof with a complementary gear face of a second bevelled alignment gear of said bevelled alignment gear set mounted to or an extension of said reciprocator to remain stationary relative thereto and to rotate about said crank shaft, an indexing means to index the rotation of said array of piston and cylinder assemblies and reciprocator to said ported means WHEREIN said first and said second bevelled engagement gears are of identical pitch diameter (same number of teeth; ratio of 1:1) such that the piston and cylinder assemblies remain in rotational parity with said reciprocator about said shaft, and WHEREIN said indexing means consists of a first bevelled displacement gear of a bevelled displacement gear set located about and concentric with said power input shaft, mounted to or an extension of the ported means to remain stationary relative thereto and engaged at a gear face thereof with a complementary gear face of a second bevelled displacement gear of said bevelled displacement gear set located concentric with the crank shaft and mounted to or an extension of said reciprocator to remain stationary relative thereto (and therefore also said second of said bevelled alignment gears) wherein the ratio of pitch diameter of said first bevelled displacement gear to the pitch diameter of said second bevelled displacement gear is selected from one of (a) N:N+1 (where N is the number of cylinders of said array of piston and cylinder assembly) for an engine where the shaft counter-rotates the array of piston and cylinder assembly and (b) N:N-1 (where N is the number of cylinders of said array of piston and cylinder assembly) for an engine where the shaft co-rotates the array of piston and cylinder assembly. Preferably when the ratio of pitch diameter of said first bevelled displacement gear to the pitch diameter of said second bevelled displacement gear is N:N+1 the first of said bevelled displacement gears has an inwardly gear face engaged as a displaceable point contact with an outwardly gear face of said second of said bevelled displacement gears. In the alternative, preferably when the ratio of pitch diameter of said first bevelled displacement gear to the pitch diameter of said second bevelled displacement gear is N:N-1 the first of said bevelled displacement gears has an outwardly gear face engaged as a displaceable point contact with an inwardly gear face of said second of said bevelled displacement gears. Preferably the conical distance of said first and said second bevelled displacement gears is identical. Preferably the conical distance of said first and said second bevelled alignment gears is identical. Preferably the conical apex of said first and said second bevelled alignment gears coincide at point X. Preferably the conical apex of said first and said second bevelled displacement gears and the conical apex of said first and said second bevelled alignment gears coincide at point X. This invention may also be said broadly to consist in the parts, elements and features referred to or indicated in the specification of the application, individually or collectively, and any or all combinations of any two or more of said parts, elements or features, and where specific integers are mentioned herein which have known equivalents in the art to which this invention relates, such known equivalents are deemed to be incorporated herein as if individually set forth. Accordingly the present invention provides an internal combustion engine comprising a shaft having a shaft axis and carrying a crank shaft having a crank axis oblique to the shaft axis to intersect therewith at a notional point (hereinafter referred to as point X), an array of piston and cylinder assemblies to rotate as assemblies relative to said shaft and about said shaft axis, each said "cylinder" being of any appropriate cross section (with respect to its reciprocal axis) and the cross section of each complementary piston being complementary to the cross section of its cylinder, each said cylinder having at least one inlet/outlet port reciprocator mounted to rotate relative to the crank shaft about said crank axis, to allow during the rotation of the reciprocator about said crank axis, the requisite reciprocal displacement of each piston within its associated cylinder between top dead centre (TDC) and bottom dead centre (BDC) as the array of piston and cylinder assemblies rotates relative to and about the shaft axis for each piston a connection means as an extensions from or part of said reciprocator, ported means relative to which said at least on inlet/outlet port of said each cylinder of said array move sealably to allow (indexed at some rate to the reciprocal movement of each piston in its cylinder and to the rotational position of the inlet/outlet port(s) of each cylinder relative to said ported means) the four or two cycle stages of a four stroke or two stroke combustion engine, a first bevelled alignment gear mounted to or an extension of said array of piston and cylinder assemblies to remain stationary relative to said cylinders and to rotate therewith about said shaft, engaged at a gear face thereof with a complementary gear face of a second bevelled alignment gear of said bevelled alignment gear set mounted to or an extension of said reciprocator to remain stationary relative thereto and to rotate about said crank shaft, an indexing means to index the rotation of said array of piston and cylinder assemblies and reciprocator to said ported means WHEREIN said first and said second bevelled engagement gears are of identical pitch diameter (same number of teeth; ratio of 1:1) such that the piston and cylinder assemblies remain in rotational parity with said reciprocator about said shaft, and said indexing means consists of a first bevelled displacement gear of a bevelled displacement gear set located about and concentric with said shaft, mounted to or an extension of the ported means to remain stationary relative thereto and engaged at a gear face thereof with a complementary gear face of a second bevelled displacement gear of said bevelled displacement gear set located concentric with the crank shaft and mounted to or an extension of said reciprocator to remain stationary relative thereto (and therefore also said second of said bevelled alignment gears) wherein the ratio of pitch diameter of said first bevelled displacement gear to the pitch diameter of said second bevelled displacement gear is selected from one of (a) N:N-f 1 (where N is the number of cylinders of said array of piston and cylinder assembly) for an engine where the shaft counter-rotates the array of piston and cylinder assembly and (b) N:N-1 (where N is the number of cylinders of said array of piston and cylinder assembly) for an engine where the shaft co-rotates the array of piston and cylinder assembly. The invention consists in the foregoing and also envisages constructions of which the following gives examples. One preferred form of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which; Figure 1 shows a cross sectional view through a preferred form of the present engine in a single acting mode. Figure 2 is a cross sectional view through an alternative and more preferred form of the present invention, Figure 3 illustrates a perspective view of the engine of Figure 2 having some components including part of the casing not shown to provide a detailed view of some of the internal working, Figure 4 is a perspective view of the engine of Figure 2, not showing some of the components including the casing port providing means and one of the cylinders to show more of the internal workings, Figure 5 illustrates a perspective view of the engine of Figure 2 where in part of the external cover has been illustrated, Figure 6 is an enlarged view of the region of Figure 2 surrounding the port to the cylinder, Figure 7 shows a cutaway perspective of the conrod, piston and its attachments, Figure 8 shows a partial side view of the reciprocator, connection rod and cylinder arrangement illustrating the approximate figure of eight path followed by axis 25A. Figure 9 is a half sectional view of the engine shown in Figure 2, the other half illustrating the three rotational bodies of the engine of the present invention, Figure 10 illustrates an. exploded view wherein the piston is shovm in part cross-section and the components of the piston/conrod joint have been illustrated in perspective view. Figure 11 illustrates the preferred spark plug assembly as a partial cross section of one spark plug as present in the ported means, Figure 12 illustrates a side view representation of an engine of the present invention wherein double sided piston cylinder arrangements may be utilised, Figure 13 is an exploded sectional view of the sealing members of Figure 6, Figure 14 illustrates a perspective view of the annular seal with sealing rings, Figure 15 is a sectional view of part of a sealing ring of the present invention. Figure 16 is a schematic diagram illustrating the imaginary conical surface which are defined by the rotation of the displacement bevelled gears and bevelled alignment gears in accordance with the configuration as shown in Figure 2. Figure 17 is a perspective/sectional view of a portion of the cylinder of the present invention. Figure 18 is a perspective view of a cylinder of the engine of the present invention or part of a cylinder of the engine of the present invention. Figure 19 is a schematic diagram of the conrod axis in relation to the crank axis of the travel between top dead centre and bottom dead centre illustrating the radial force which is induced (or transmitted) to the reciprocator by the conrod, Figure 20 illustrates in sectional view an alternative cross-section of the sealing ring 101, and Figure 21 is a schematic diagram of an alternative configuration of the present invention using bevelled alignment gears and bevelled displacement gears. The invention will now be broadly described with reference to the drawings, and it will firstly be described in relation to Figure 1 which is in essence a more simplistic co-rotating drawing of the preferred counter-rotating form of the invention of which components and assemblies are shown in at least Figures 2-7. There are however some operating differences between the engine of Figure 1 and the preferred form of the engine which will be highlighted hereafter. The engine of the present invention and with reference to Figure 1 consists of a shaft 1 which in the preferred form operates as an output shaft to the combustion engine (or when operating as a fluid displacement machine, operates as the input shaft of the pump). Disposed, and either forming an integral part of, or securable to the shaft 1 is a crank shaft 2. The shaft axis 1A and the crank axis 2A intersect at a point X. Disposed from and rotatable about the crank shaft 2 is the reciprocator 3 which controls the reciprocal motion of the pistons 6 within the cylinders 12 of the cylinder support means 5. The cylinders with the cylinder support means are rotatable about the shaft axis 1A and are suitably mounted with the use of bearings or the like to allow such rotation. A ported means 13 as part of the casing is also provided and provides the porting, injection, ignition and/or other means to allow the engine of the present invention to operate in a 2 or 4 stroke internal spark or compression ignition mode. The engine of the preferred embodiment of the present invention has two pairs of bevelled gears, a first pair of bevelled displacement gears (22, 23) and bevelled alignment gears (20,21). The pair of bevelled gearing are alignment gears (20, 21) and keep the reciprocator 3 (and hence pistons) in rotational alignment with the cylinders 12 and cylinder support means 5 in a rotational direction about the shaft axis 1A. These alignment gears provide for the elimination of the need for there to be present within one of the piston control/connection rod arrangements, the rotational parity providing feature previously achieved by having 2 degrees of freedom such that relative rotation between the reciprocator, was not possible. Rotational alignment in the current invention is achieved by utilising the suitably located bevelled alignment gear between the reciprocator 3 which rotates about the crank axis 1A and the cylinder support means 5 or an extension thereof which rotates about the shaft axis 1A. In the preferred form of the present invention shown in Figures 1-5, the first of the pair of bevelled gears is mounted from or from an extension of the cylinder support means 5 and the other positioned from said reciprocator so as to be engagable as a point contact with the first of said pair of bevelled gear. The contact point of the bevelled alignment gears is at a point on the face of each. This point during the operating of the engine travels around the shaft as the reciprocator nutates about the crankshaft. It is a wobbling like effect between the bevelled alignment gears. These bevelled alignment gears 20, 21 are in essence the substitute for having one connection rod/piston arrangement which has only 2 degrees of freedom thereby providing the rotational parity between the reciprocator and cylinder support means. The bevelled alignment gears 20, 21 provide for the tracking or synchronisation of rotation of the reciprocator 3 with the cylinder support means 5. Should this resultant tracking not be present, there would be a tendency due to the forces involved, for the piston controls means 3 to unduly strain the connection at the piston connection region (in a wrenching type action) as there is a tendency for, due to the forces involved during rotation, the reciprocator 3 to run at a different rate of rotation to the cylinder support means 5 i.e. there is torque transmitted between the cylinder support means and the reciprocator. This torque is as a result of the angular difference (save for at top dead centre and bottom dead centre) between the con rod axis (CA) and the crank axis 2A from a radial point of view (see Figure 19). Were the radial force is Fradial and axial force is Faxial directions. The other pair of bevelled gearing 22, 23 are displacement gears which provide for the rotation of the reciprocator 3 and the cylinder support means 5 relative to the casing and port providing means 13. Although this pair of bevelled gearing is preferably in the engine of the present invention an annular planetary type arrangement as disclosed in my specification of NZ 270736 may also be utilised to provide such controlled rotational displacement between the reciprocators and cylinder support means and the shaft with respect to the casing and port providing means. The annular planetary type arrangement falls within the ambit of this invention as an alternative, however it is not the preferred alternative. Such annular/planetary type gear arrangement may be located such that the cylinder support means carries the annular gear, the planetary gears being located as part of the ported means which locate with the annular gear on one side and with a gearing means on the shaft 1. In the preferred form however the bevelled gears 22 remain stationary relative to the port providing means 13 whereas the bevelled gears 23 which form part of or are an extension of the reciprocator 3 are such as to provide a tracking at a predetermined ratio of the reciprocator 3 to the casing (and hence the port of means 13). In the engine shown in cross section in Figure 1, the bevelled gearing forming part of the reciprocator 3 is annularly located from the reciprocator 3 and is of a greater diameter (hence more teeth) than the complimentary bevelled gear 22 located as part of the housing. As the number of gears differ, the tracking of the bevelled gear 23 as a point contact with the complimentary gear 22 results in the rotation of the reciprocator 3 about the crank axis to 2A and hence the rotation of the cylinder support means 5 relative to the ported means 13. This arrangement where the bevelled gearing 23 of the reciprocator rotates on the outside of the imaginary conical surface defmed by the complimentary bevelled gears 22 of the casing, induces a rotation (under power) of the shaft 1 in the same direction as the cylinders are rotating about the shaft axis 1A. In Figure 2 there is illustrated a more preferred form and indeed a more detailed form of the engine of present invention. The engine is shown in full cross section and it can be seen that the bevelled gear 23 engages with the bevelled gear 22 in an opposite orientation to that of the bevelled gears 22, 23 of the engine of Figure 1. In this alternative configuration the bevelled gear 23 is of a smaller diameter i.e. pitch diameter (hence less gear teeth) than the bevelled gear 22 similarly its conical pitch angle is smaller. This induces a rotation of the assembly of cylinder support means, pistons, cylinders and bevelled gear 23 in an opposite direction (in operation) to the rotation of the shaft 1, about the shaft axis 1A. In this instance the bevelled gearing 23 of the reciprocator 3 rotates on the inside of the imaginary conical surface defined by the complimentary bevelled gearing 22 of the casing. In this instance the bevelled gearing 23 of the reciprocator is an outwardly faced bevelled gear where as the complimentary bevelled gear 22 of the casing is an inwardly faced bevelled gear. With reference to Figure 16, there is illustrated as triangular geometric shapes, the imaginary conical surface which are defmed by the face angles of the bevelled gears. The lines 20', 21 and 22', 23' are commonly reterred to m gearmg termmology as the conical distance (the distance between the gear face and the apex of imaginary cone) and in this instances had been shown at the instant where the engine is shown in the condition as in Figure 2. It can be seen that in this instance the vertices conical distance 22' and 23' of the bevelled gears extending from point Q (point of contact) to point X coincide, and likewise the vertices of bevelled gears 21' and 22' extending from point P to point X coincide. As the bevelled alignment gears 20 and 21 are of the same number of teeth such that no relative rotation between the reciprocator and the cylinder support means occurs, these gears are of identical pitch diameter i.e. Base 21B = Base 20B. As the displacement gears 22 and 23 are required to induce relative rotation between the reciprocator and the casing, these gears are of different diameters and in the preferred configuration as shown in Figure 2 of which the schematic in Figure 25 relates, base 23B Base 22 B. As the bases 20 B, 21 B, 22 B, 23 B are directly proportional to the number of teeth which are able to be carried on the bevelled gear the geometric configuration as shown in schematic Figure 15 will allow the calculation of the relative gear ratios between the two displacement bevelled gears 22 and 23. As the rotation of the reciprocator and hence the cylinder support means needs to be timed (and hence geared at the correct ratio) such that the displacement positioning of the piston within the cylinder coincides with the appropriate features of the port providing means 13 for the engine to operate in its preferred mode as a combustion engine, the correct gear ratio between the reciprocator and the ported means is required. teeth (NR), then the housing bevelled gear will have teeth which equals 120 (NH). The effective gearing ratio between the bevelled gears 22,23 is therefore 6:5 equal to (N + 1:N) ie (NH:NR). This ratio, dependent on the number of cylinders, remains consistent for both four stroke and two stroke operation of the combustion engine of the present invention as well as for odd and even cylindered versions of this engine. Of course with reference to my specification on my New Zealand application 270736, an engine of even number of cylinders will require an additional series of ports within the ported means (for four stroke) as the reciprocal motion and relative displacement of pistons to the ported means is repeated once every two revolutions of the cylinders relative to the ported means. It can therefore be seen that an uneven number of cylinders is more desirable in terms of insuring that a four stroke engine operates its normal modes of compression, combustion, expansion, exhaust and induction strokes per revolution relative to the ported means. The length of stroke of the pistons within the cylinders is dependent on the crank angle (the angle between the crank axis and shaft axis and the crank radius between 2A and 24A). The bevelled alignment gears 20, 21 are of equal diameter therefore have equal number of teeth and as a result are at a gear ratio of 1:1. This ratio of 1:1 is essential, as any other gear ratio would result in the angular rotation of the cylinder support means and the reciprocator from being different which would of course result in the reciprocator 3 and the pistons not having a rotational parity with the cylinder support means 5 resulting in a breakdown of the engine. The configuration of this engine can be set up to take any number of pistons/cylinders, for which the gearing ratio of displacement between the reciprocator (and hence the pistons/cylinders) and the casing needs to be calculated carefully, in order to ensure that the pistons within the cylinders are going through the correct motions in order to ensure normal operation of the strokes of a combustion engine. With reference to Figure 15 it can be seen that for bevelled alignment gears, if the crank angle (the angle between the shaft axis 1A crank axis 2A) is Z° then the angle of the bevelled gear 21 (the combustion chamber housing bevelled alignment gear) to the normal of the shaft axis 1A will be Z°/2. Similarly the angle between the bevelled gear 20 (the reciprocator bevelled alignment gear) the normal of the crank axis 2^ will also be Z°/2. In the preferred form of the present invention the crank angle Z° is 14° . The bevelled gears are preferably made of a hardened steel such as EN36A. The preferred ratio of NH to NR is 6:5 wherein the teeth number are 90 and 75 respectively and the engine has 5 cylinders. This is for the counter rotating configuration of the engine. In the version where co-rotation of the output shaft 1 and the reciprocator 3 is desired the ratio would be N-1:N with reference to NH/NR. With reference to the table below some examples of ratios for counter-rotating and co-rotating options are shown. The preferred pitch angle of the housing bevelled displacement gear 22 is 60.5°. The preferred pitch angle of the gear 23 is 46.5°. The difference being 14°= Z° i.e. the crank angle. The apex of the cones of all the bevelled gears in the preferred form of the engine shown in Figure 2 coincide with point X, the intersection of axis 1A and crank axis 2 . This in this arrangement is essential in order to ensure that the appropriate face to face contact of both pairs of bevelled gears (20, 21 and 22, 23) is maintained. Such geometric arrangement is essential in order to ensure face to face contact at a point. As alternatives to the preferred arrangements where the essential alignment bevelled gearing sets are utilised and the displacement bevelled gearing of the reciprocator gearing rotates with the reciprocator alignment gear, Figure 21 shows an alternative. In Figure 21 there is shown a single ended engine in accordance with the present invention wherein there are two sets of bevelled alignment gears 20, 21 (which each rotate about a crank shaft of the shaft 1. The two crank shafts of the shaft 1 have crank axes 2A and are at an angle to the shaft axis lA as designated by Y° and X°. The angles of X° and Y° do not have to be parallel but preferably are parallel. In respect of Figure 21 the left most bevelled alignment gears 20, 21 are in rotational engagement about the crank axis 2A with bevelled displacement gears 23 which engage with complimentary bevelled displacement gears 22 which are mounted to a casing of the engine. These bevelled displacement gears act like the bevelled displacement gears in the preferred form of the engine and initiate the relative rotation between the cylinder support means, shaft and crank shaft, and the casing of the engine. The two sets of bevelled alignment gears ensure that the reciprocator states in synchronisation with the cylinder assembly, piston cylinders and connection rods. The advantage of configuration as shown in Figure 21 is that this configuration can now for double acting opposed cylinders to be utilised wherein a further set of cylinders/pistons are located to the right of the rightmost bevelled gears, their connection rods mounted on or from the rightmost reciprocator bevelled alignment gears. With reference to Figure 4, in the preferred form, the reciprocator 3 connects to the conrod for each piston utilising pivoting or swivel joints. The reciprocator 3 has such regions of connection to the conrods for each of the pistons at equally spaced intervals and towards its perimeter. With reference to Figure 3, three of the five regions of connection between the reciprocator and the conrods as shown. Alternatively however and with reference to Figure 1 a sliding cup and ball like joint with gudgeon pin extending through the walls of the piston may also be utilised. In this instance there is no connection rod as such as there is in the preferred form. With reference to Figure 7 the pivotable connections at both ends of the connection rod 4 is achieved by the use of swivel joints is illustrated. The swivel joint 24 provides for a degree of rotational freedom about axis 24A between the reciprocator 3 and the conrod 4 to compensate for the reciprocating motion of the reciprocator 3 about point X as a result of the piston moving inside said cylinder from top dead centre to bottom dead centre. The swivel joint 25 provides for a degree of rotational freedom about an axis 25A between the reciprocator 3 and the connection rod 4 pivotable about the axis 24A, and preferably normal to the conrod axis ("CA"). While preferably intersecting point X at midstroke other variations of this are possible but this is preferable. It should be noted that the conrod axis ("CA") may not remain coaxial with the cylinder axis ("CylA"). CA and CylA are in the preferred form, coaxial at top dead centre of the piston in the cylinder. Although in Figure 2 at top dead centre of the piston 6 within the cylinder there is a slight offset between the cylinder axis and the conrod axis, in the preferred form they are co-axial at this point so as to reduce gudgeon pin (35) side loading due to inertial forces and combustion. The rotational degree of freedom between the connection rod 4 and the reciprocator 3 are preferably provided by a gudgeon pin type arrangement. The gudgeon pins act as swivel axles along 24A and 25A. The gudgeon pin coupling member 34 is preferably of one piece and is the coupling member between the rod/reciprocator end of the connection rod and by like or by gudgeon pin joints (or combination) at the connection rod cylinder engagement region. The preferred connection rod arrangement of the present invention at the piston/connection rod engagement region consists of a piston gudgeon pin 35 which extends through a pivoting lug 36 which locates within an end of the connection rod 4. With reference to Figure 10, it can be seen that the pivoting lug has an aperture 37 there there through which the piston gudgeon pin 35 can be inserted. The pivoting lug 36 is substantially cylindrical in shape wherein the connection rod 4 end is provided with complimentary cylindrical surfaces within which the lug can rotate. The pivoting lug 36 has a discontinuous cylindrical surface which is achieved by at least one (preferably two) reduced diameter surface(s) 38 (preferably flat) which when rotated in the right orientation will allow the insertion of the pivoting lug 36 into the region of the cylindrical surfaces of the connection rod. With reference to the exploded view in Figure 10, the pivoting lug 36 has been orientated in the preferred direction such that the lug can be inserted into the cylindrical surfaced region of the connection rod, thereafter rotating it such that the aperture 37 is presented appropriately to receive the piston gudgeon pin 35. Upon the rotation of the pivoting lug 36 to receive the gudgeon pin, the pivoting lug cannot be removed from the cylindrical surfaced region of the connection rod. This then provides a suitable retaining method for retaining the pivoting lug 36 with respect to the connection rod. The pivoting lug due to its cylindrical surfaces is able to pivot about the axis 27A. The aperture 37 through the pivoting lug will allow relative rotation of the piston to the connection rod about the axis 26A. The arrangement at this end of the connection rod with respect to the use of the pivoting lug may also be duplicated at the connection region of the connection rod to the reciprocator. The engine of the present invention is not necessarily restricted to the cylinder axis of each cylinder, being parallel. Indeed these cylinders may have an axis at an oblique angle to the shaft axis 1A. Furthermore the cylinders need not have a linear axis but may alternatively be of an arcuate nature wherein pistons of a complimentary arcuate shape are engaged. It is however preferably that the cylinders are linear, as when the reciprocator rolls over at the point where the piston is at top dead centre, the piston is forced into a slight rotation about the cylinder axis. Here it would also be an reciprocator 3 and the connection rod 4 through which the gudgeon pins of the swivel joint 24 and 25 may extend. A person skilled in the art will understand the nature of such a joint and how such a gudgeon pin may be retained by the use of circlip. Preferably the gudgeon pin is 18mm in diameter for both the swivel joint 24 and swivel joint 25. As the connection between the reciprocator 3 and the conrod 4 does not provide for any radial displacement, radially from the crank axis 2A at the axis 24A, a further pivot point is provided at the engagement between the connection rod 4 and the piston. This is preferably a gudgeon pin 35 to allow the piston to follow the preferred linear path within the linear cylinder. This degree of freedom is preferably a rotational degree of freedom having an axis 26A substantially parallel to the axis 24A at piston TDC and BDC. Like the swivel joints 24 and 25 a gudgeon pin arrangement is preferably used at axis 26A wherein the gudgeon pin extends through apertures in the piston wall, through the con rod. This will allow rotation of the connection rod relative to the piston about the axis 26A. In the engine of the present invention a further degree of freedom needs to be compensated for due to the nutating like motion of the reciprocator between the connection rod and the piston. This degree of freedom is preferably compensated for at the connection rod/piston engaging region and provides for a rotational degree of freedom about the axis 21A which is substantially normal to the axis 26A. This degree of freedom needs to be compensated for due to the slight sinusoidal figure of eight like oscillation of conrod axis 25A when viewed from a stationary co-ordinate system relative to the cylinder support means 5. This sinusoidal figure of eight like oscillation needs to be compensated for as the axis 27A must follow a straight displacement path within the cylinder. With reference to Figure 8 it has been illustrated how the approximate sinusoidal figure of 8 oscillation of the conrod axis 25A results due to the nutating motion of the reciprocator. The pitch P of the sinusoidal motion is dependent on the distance of axis 24A from the crank axis 2A i.e. the crank radius and the crank angle Z°. Although in the preferred form the degrees of freedom are taken into account by the various swivel joints as illustrated in Figures 4 and 7, the engine of the present invention can operate wherein such degrees of freedom are compensated by a cup and ball like joint, at the connection advantage that the conrod axis is coaxial with the cylinder axis at top dead centre and bottom dead centre. Furthermore, and although we have herein described an engine operating in a single sided mode, the engine of the present invention can be utilised so as to have two arrays of pistons and cylinders arranged to act in substantially opposite directions and in respect of different ported means. In a further aspect the present invention relates to the way that the rotating bodies of the engine are supported so as to reduce any resultant forces, including bending moments and sheer forces, in the various components and in particular on the shaft 1. We refer now to Figure 9 which illustrates the engine as shown in Figure 2 where half of the cross-sectional view has been illustrated for reference purposes as three bodies. The first being the casing C, the second being the shafts S (including the shaft 1 and crankshaft 2) and the third being the rotator R (including the reciprocator 3, piston and cylinders), each of the three rotating relative to each other about the shaft axis 1A. The bearings have been illustrated in a solid shading. As the moment Mc on the shaft 1 resulting from the operation of the engine during for example combustion as force Fc and the transmitted forces through the crank shaft 2 can be significant, the engine is provided with a boss like member 30 which in essence provides support to the shaft as close as possible to the point at which the moment resultant from the expansion/compression transmitted by the reciprocator acts. Should the boss of the preferred form of the engine not be present then the moment about the shaft axis 1 would need to be supported by the bearings 31 and 32 at each end of the shaft. It will be appreciated that as the distance of the bearing 31 is a substantial distance away from the point at which the moment is likely to act on the shaft, the resultant force from bending moment within the shaft at its ends is likely to be significant if there was only end support for the shaft. Such bending moment within the shaft would require a shaft of sufficient strength (ie material choice or diameter sizing). The boss which is associated with the casing of the engine (and therefore remain stationary relative to the casing) extends along (but is clear of the shaft) and towards the point at which the moment Mc on the shaft 1 is acting. With the use of the preferred needle roller bearings 33 and the angular roller bearings 34 the shaft 1 is supported closer to the point at which the moment is likely to act and therefore will significantly reduce shear and expansion/compression forces as a result of the bending moment within the shaft and allow a shaft of a smaller diameter to be used. With reference to Figure 9 the moment Mc induced by the reciprocator on the shaft is transmitted back to the cylinder assembly by bearing 34, as a force Fb. At the opposite end the force is transmitted to the casing at bearing 32 by force Fx. The force Fb transmitted by the bearing 34 to the cylinder assembly is then taken by bearing 33 and transmitted to the boss 30 as force FQ (and perhaps other bearings, as for example 33'). At the same time the boss, by its nature of extending from the or as part of the ported means towards the reciprocator, is also able to provide conduits for the delivery of cooling fluid (such as oil or the like) to conduit which are preferably present within the cylinder assemblies. With reference to Figure 6 the present invention includes developments in the sealing of the inlet/outlet ports. The port providing means 13 provides the inlet/outlet and combustion chamber sealing surfaces for the engine of the present invention. Preferably the port proving means 13 provides a substantially flat surface over which the sealing members of each of the cylinder ports 41 rotates. The port providing means 13 provides the ports for any one or more of inlet and outlet of combustion vapour/combusted gasses, spark plugs, fuel injection and the like. As the cylinder support means rotates about the shaft axis 1^, the cylinder ports 41 are exposed at correct intervals to the inlet said/outlet ports 40, spark plugs, fuel injection nozzles of the ported means 13. However, whilst the angular rotation of the cylinder support means relative to the porting means at certain intervals achieves an opening of the combustion chamber to an inlet/outlet port 40 the normal four or two stroke operation of a cylinder and piston requires for the cylinders to be sealed at specific intervals. As the relative rotation of the cylinder support means and the ported means would if in contact provide large frictional surfaces which would desirably need to be wear resistant due to such rotation, instead there are provided to bridge the gap which is inherently designed between the ported means 13 and cylinder support means, cylinder port seals 101. The cylinder port seal 101 locate about the ports 41 to the cylinders. The cylinder port seals 101 are carried around by the cylinder support means in a suitable manner. As it is desirable for the cylinder port seals 101 to be capable of sealing against the outer surface 13 of the ported means, the cylinder port seals 101 are able to a limited extent, move in a direction substantially normal to the surface 13S. This allows for the cylinder port seals 101 to press against the contact surface 13S and thereby provide a seal when an inlet/outlet port 40 is presented to the cylinder port 41 and to reduce any leakage between the interface of the cylinder port seals 101 and the ported means surface 13 . The cylinder port seal 101 which locates about the opening to the cylinders prevents combustion (or compression) gases from escaping, and any pressure as a result of attempted escape by gas acting on the projected area of the bottom of seal 101 being larger than the contact area with the port providing means 13, maintains a positive contact with 13 to affect sealing. With reference to Figure 13, it can be seen that the lower surface Al of the seal ring 101 presents a surface normal to the surface it is sealing against which is greater than the top facing surface A2. As during the inlet and outlet sequences it is desirable for the sealing ring 101 to seal against the ported means 13 and because of this differential between surface areas normal to the surface of the porting means, any pressure (assuming the same pressure) acting on both surface A2 and Al would have a net resultant force to press the sealing ring 101 against the ported means 13. Therefore preferably Al is greater than A2 where Al and A2 are the surface areas in the direction normal with the cylinder sealing surface 13S. The upper surface of the cylinder port seals 101 may hence be provided with an annular groove which is continuous. However preferably the annular groove is discontinuous such that isolated pockets in case there is a pressure leak are provided for any of the fluid leakage. This is desirable in case there is only a certain region between the cylinder port seals 101 and the cylinder sealing surface 13S where leakage is occurring due to perhaps an uneven contact between the top facing surface A2 and the cylinder sealing surface 13S. At the same as providing a reduced surface area in terms of pressure differential, the provision of such an annular groove or the like also reduces the contact surface area between the cylinder port seals 101 and the cylinder sealing surface 13 of the ported means. The result of the cylinder port seals 101 is hence to seal all of the combustion chamber inlet/outlet port(s) 40 when these ports are not aligned with the ported means ports in order to maintain compression stroke and combustion stroke sealing and to stop cross contamination with crank case gases. Further during alignment of the cylinder ports and the ported means ports, the cylinder port seals and related components maintain intake vacuum and exhaust gas sealing, again in order to avoid any cross contamination with any crank case gases. The overall projected area normal to the cylinder axis is the same on both sides of the seal. Therefore the net resultant force would be zero. Therefore I am thinking whether the annular groove provides an interference surface of any gases flowing out and due to the short period on which the gases do act, the pressure on the surface A2 is in such a short instance greater than the pressure on area Al as the area Al creates the turbulent effect at such an instance by the annular groove. Figure 20 illustrates an alternative cross-sectional area of a sealing ring 101 where the area A2 is smaller than the area Al. This would have a similar effect as the sealing ring 101 of Figure 13. Preferably each cylinder port seal 101 travels with the cylinder support means at its appropriate location within a recess of the cylinder support means surface 5 Making up another component of the sealing means to the ports are an annular sealing ring 100. The annular sealing ring 100 is illustrated in Figure 14 as an annular ring which is annular to the shaft axis lA. This annular ring has apertures therethrough within which a portion of the cylinder port seals 101 locate. It can therefore be seen that the annular sealing ring 100 is carried around with the cylinder port seals 101 which are carried about the shaft axis 1A by the rotation of the cylinder support means 5. There are provided rings 102 and 103 which act similar to piston rings which provide further sealing against both a part of the cylinder as well as the annular seal 100. This provides for additional sealing to prevent any gas from escaping during the compression, combustion, exhaust or induction strokes of the piston within cylinder. In the preferred form the seal ring 100 is also required to maintain the sealing of the various inlet/outlet ports of the ported means, when the cylinder port seals are not in alignment with said inlet/outlet ports, to maintain manifold vacuum and prevent cross contamination between inlet gases, exhaust gasses and crank gasses. The annular sealing ring also provides a means for providing a film of lubricant such as oil to the sealing surface of the ported means to improve longevity of the cylinder port seals 101 as well as improving their efficiency. With reference to Figure 15, the rings 102 and 103 are located within annular grooves of the cylinder port seals 101, and any gas attempting to escape (as signified by the arrow) will normally follow a path wherein pressure against the inside surface of the rings 102 and 103 is created forcing the rings out against, for ring 103, the inner surface of the annular seal 100 and for 102 against the inner wall of the recess within the cylinder support means. The configuration of the rings 102 and 103 are such as to still allow floatation of the cylinder port seals 101 along an axis substantially parallel to the cylinder axis. If such sealing rings 102 and/or 103 were at each end (in cross-sectional view i.e. at its inner and outer radius) located within a groove of either the cylinder or the annular seal, no such free floating as desired for the cylinder port seals as desirable would be achievable. It would be appreciated that the annular grooves of the cylinder port seals 101 are of a width (in respect of the axial direction to provide some clearance with the rings 102 and 103. With reference to Figure 5, the casing 68 of the engine is most preferably provided with inspection/maintenance aperture 29, The inspection/maintenance aperture 29 allows for access to be gained from extemal to the interior components of the engine. With the use of bolt-on like cylinders 12 utilising bolts or machine screws or the like 70 to bolt on to the cylinder support means 5 (preferably a sleeve like member located about the shaft and preferably in part about the boss 30) the cylinders with their pistons and conrods associated, are able to be removed from the engine by the simple removal of the bolts or machine screws 70 and the disconnection of the gudgeon pin at 24. With reference to Figure 18 wherein a cylinder module is illustrated in perspective view, the bolt-on cylinder 12 has apertures 71 through which the bolts or machine screws 70 can extend. The inner surface 72 of the cylinder 12 is preferably of a flat shape, however may be of any shape as long as it is complimentary to the region where the cylinder is to bolt onto the cylinder support means 5. The aperture 29 in the casing of the engine of the present invention is sized so that a cylinder component with or without its piston and connection rods engaged can be removed therethrough. It can hence be envisaged that very rapid replacement of pistons and cylinders of the engine of the present invention is able to be achieved. Obviously this has particular advantage in high performance or research development type engines and also has particular advantage to consumer using the engine in cars or motorbikes or the like. It merely takes the removal of the cover plate to the inspection/maintenance aperture 29, the removal of machine screws or bolts 30 and the disconnection of the gudgeon pins to remove a cylinder to allow it to be replaced by a different, new or serviced/reconditioned cylinder piston. Simple rotation of the output shaft will advance the next cylinder piston arrangement within the engine for removal/maintenance, etc. With further reference to Figure 18 it can be seen that this cylinder 12 is provided with further apertures in reliefs of the surface 72. The reliefs 73 are inlet outlet manifolds for cooling fluids such as oil which run in through and out of the apertures in the reliefs and through cooling channels within the cylinder. With reference to Figure 17 which is a partial cross section of a cylinder of the present invention, the cylinder is provided with conduits 74 which direct the flow of cooling liquid such as oil about the cylinder. As with most engines a cylinder is provided with a cylinder lining wherein this instance with reference to Figure 17 the cylinder lining 75 would provide a wall to the conduit 74. Furthermore, with reference to Figure 2 the head of the cylinder 12 may also be provided with a conduit to provide further cooling. This conduit 76 has apertures thereto which when the cylinder 12 is mounted to the cylinder means 5 line up with conduits for the feed of the oil thereto and from. With reference to Figure 18, the conduits 76 is preferably sealed by a cylinder sealing cap 77 which bolts onto the cylinder at threaded holes 78 (see Figure 2). Preferably the cylinder head is provided with reliefs 79 which allow the location of poppet springs or alternatively wave washers, therein which when the cylinder is assembled with the sealing arrangement, acts against the cylinder port seals 101 to bias these against the ported means surface 13 , This bias is desirable to endeavour to keep the gap between the cylinder support seals 101 and the cylinder in a direction parallel to the axis of the cylinder greater than the gap between the cylinder port seals 101 and the ported means surface 13S such that gas pressure acting on the cylinder port seals are exposed more immediately to the surface A of the cylinder port seals 101. As shown in Figure 2, at point X there is provided a locating pin which extends through the crank shaft 2 and the shaft 1. It is preferred in this form of the invention that the crank shaft 2 is separable from the shaft 1 and is locatable thereon with or without the use of shrink fitting or press fitting and preferably with the use of the locating pin which preferably extends through point X alternatively these may be shrink fitted or welded together. A person skilled in the art will however appreciate that it is not essential for the crank shaft and the shaft to be of separate members and can indeed be made as a single item. With reference to Figure 11 which is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the ported means 13 and a preferred combustion ignition initiation means such as a spark plug, the location of such a spark plug 130 within the ported means 13 is essentially such that no portion of the spark plug protrudes beyond the cylinder sealing surface 13 of the porting means. Preferably the spark plug is threaded into an aperture of the ported means 13. A small aperture 131 is provided within which an electrode 132 of the spark plug is located. This electrode does not extend beyond the surface 13 but does locate within the aperture 131. The proximity of the edge of the aperture 131 to the electrode 132 is sufficient for when the appropriate circuitry is connected to the engine, a spark to form across this gap so as to provide the spark for a sparking mission operation of the engine of the present invention. It is however noted that this engine may also operate in a combustion ignition mode where perhaps heater coils are provided for the purposes of start up either within a cylinder or as part of the ported means. With reference to Figure 22, there is illustrated in cross-section the engine of Figure 2 which is the preferred form of the engine wherein blackout there is shows the conduits and regions where fluid cooling is able to be delivered. In the normal mode of operation the engine of the present invention would include an oil pump or the like to pump such fluids through the conduits. I CLAIM: 1. An internal combustion engine comprising a shaft having a shaft axis and carrying a crank shaft having a crank axis oblique to the shaft axis to intersect therewith at a notional point (hereinafter referred to as point X), an array of piston and cylinder assemblies to rotate as assemblies relative to said shaft and about said shaft axis, each said "cylinder" being of any appropriate cross section (with respect to its reciprocal axis) and the cross section of each complementary piston being complementary to the cross section of its cylinder, each said cylinder having at least one inlet/outlet port reciprocator mounted to rotate relative to the crank shaft about said crank axis, to allow during the rotation of the reciprocator about said crank axis, the requisite reciprocal displacement of each piston within its associated cylinder between top dead centre (TDC) and bottom dead centre (BDC) as the array of piston and cylinder assemblies rotates relative to and about the shaft axis for each piston a connection means as an extensions from or part of said reciprocator, ported means relative to which said at least on inlet/outlet port of said each cylinder of said array move sealably to allow (indexed at some rate to the reciprocal movement of each piston in its cylinder and to the rotational position of the inlet/outlet port(s) of each cylinder relative to said ported means) the four or two cycle stages of a four stroke or two stroke combustion engine, a first bevelled alignment gear mounted to or an extension of said array of piston and cylinder assemblies to remain stationary relative to said cylinders and to rotate therewith about said shaft, engaged at a gear face thereof with a complementary gear face of a second bevelled alignment gear of said bevelled alignment gear set mounted to or an extension of said reciprocator to remain stationary relative thereto and to rotate about said crank shaft, an indexing means to index the rotation of said array of piston and cylinder assemblies and reciprocator to said ported means WHEREIN said first and said second bevelled engagement gears are of identical pitch diameter (same number of teeth; ratio of 1:1) such that the piston and cylinder assemblies remain in rotational parity with said reciprocator about said shaft, and said indexing means consists of a first bevelled displacement gear of a bevelled displacement gear set located about and concentric with said shaft, mounted to or an extension of the ported means to remain stationary relative thereto and engaged at a gear face thereof with a complementary gear face of a second bevelled displacement gear of said bevelled displacement gear set located concentric with the crank shaft and mounted to or an extension of said reciprocator to remain stationary relative thereto (and therefore also said second of said bevelled alignment gears) wherein the ratio of pitch diameter of said first bevelled displacement gear to the pitch diameter of said second bevelled displacement gear is selected from one of (a) N:N+1 (where N is the number of cylinders of said array of piston and cylinder assembly) for an engine where the shaft counter-rotates the array of piston and cylinder assembly and (b) N:N-1 (where N is the number of cylinders of said array of piston and cylinder assembly) for an engine where the shaft co-rotates the array of piston and cylinder assembly. 2. The engine as claimed in claim 1 wherein, when the ratio of pitch diameter of said first bevelled displacement gear to the pitch diameter of said second bevelled displacement gear is N:N+1 the first of said bevelled displacement gears has an inwardly gear face engaged as a displaceable point contact with an outwardly gear face of said second of said bevelled displacement gears. 3. The engine as claimed in claim 1 wherein when the ratio of pitch diameter of said first bevelled displacement gear to the pitch diameter of said second bevelled displacement gear is N:N-1 the first of said bevelled displacement gears has an outwardly gear face engaged as a displaceable point contact with an inwardly gear face of said second of said bevelled displacement gears. 4. The engine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the conical distance of said first and said second bevelled displacement gears is identical. 5. The engine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the conical distance of said first and said second bevelled alignment gears is identical. 6. The engine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the conical apex of said first and said second bevelled alignment gears coincide at point X. 7. The engine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the conical apex of said first and said second bevelled displacement gears and the conical apex of said first and said second bevelled alignment gears coincide at point X. 8. The engine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein said first bevelled alignment gear is concentric with the shaft axis and the second bevelled alignment gear is concentric with said crank axis. 9. The engine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the crankshaft is a separate member secured to said shaft by suitable securing means such as a shaft pin(s) shrink fitting or welding or the like, to ensure that it remains fixed and non rotatable relative to said shaft. 10. The engine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein said crankshaft and said shaft are forged or cast to form a single piece. 11. The engine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein said engine has one array of pistons and cylinder assemblies. 12. The engine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein said engine has two arrays of piston and cylinder assemblies, each inlet/outlet port of each cylinder of each said array moving sealably relative to opposed porting means, wherein there is provided for each piston of each array a said connection means extending or forming part of said reciprocator. 13. The engine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12 wherein said cylinders of said array(s) of piston and cylinder assemblies are held in a fixed relationship by a cylinder support means. 14. The engine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13 wherein said array(s) of piston and cylinder assemblies are fastened to said cylinder support means. 15. The engine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14 wherein said cylinder support means is supported by roller or ball bearings with their rotational axes concentric with said shaft axis. 16. The engine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12 wherein said cylinder support means comprises a sleeve substantially concentric with said shaft axis and located at least in part about said shaft wherein each cylinder of said array of pistons and cylinder assemblies is secured by suitable fastening means to said sleeve. 17. The engine as claimed in claim 16 wherein said fastening means are machine screws, bolts or the like wherein each cylinder is provided with at least two apertures through which said machine screws, bolts or the like may extend through to allow their threaded engagement with corresponding threaded apertures in said sleeve. 18. The engine as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 17 wherein at least one of said roller or ball bearings is located between said cylinder support means and a boss member or region of said ported means extending towards point X about said shaft and an another of said roller or ball bearings is located between said cylinder support means and said shaft at a point closer to point X, both of said roller or ball bearings concentric with said shaft. 19. The engine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 18 wherein said ported means has a planar contact surface substantially normal to the shaft axis with which said said inlet/outlet port(s) of each cylinder sealably engage, and presents thereat at appropriately spaced intervals on a pitch circle diameter(s) air/fuel inlet and combustion gas outlet ports and optionally (for spark ignition engines an ignition means) to correspond at appropriate timing to the at least one inlet/outlet port of each cylinder. 20. The engine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 19 wherein a cylinder port seal is provided for each of said at least one inlet/outlet port of each cylinder, located about the opening of said at least one inlet/outlet port of each cylinder and located against (at least during appropriate periods to reduce pressure loss and intake vacuum within each said cylinder) said planar contact surface of said ported means. 21. The engine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 20 wherein each said cylinder port seal is substantially a cylindrical shaped member located in part within a recess of said cylinder and provided with an aperture therethough to expose said inlet/outlet port of said cylinder, said cylindrical shaped member protruding beyond the recess to present a face thereof adjacent to said planar contact surface. 22. The engine as claimed in claim 21 wherein an annular ring concentric with said shaft axis is provided with apertures complementary to and locate about the outer cylindrical surface of each said cylindrical shaped member, to locate between and about the cylinder port seals of the array of cylinders wherein, for each cylinder port seal there is located two sealing rings each within grooved recesses in the outer cylindrical surface of said cylindrical shaped member, a first of said sealing rings positioned and adapted to locate against an inwardly facing wall of said recess of said cylinder and a second of said sealing rings positioned and adapted to locate against and inwardly facing wall of the aperture of said annular ring. 23. The engine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 22 wherein said cylinders are linear to allow linear displacement of said pistons therein. 24. The engine as claimed in claim 23 wherein the linear axes of each cylinder are parallel. 25. The engine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 24 wherein said cross-section of each cylinder is circular, the cross-section of each complimentary piston also being circular. 26. The engine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 25 wherein each cylinder has one inlet/outlet port. 27. The engine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 26 wherein said reciprocator is rotatably mounted from said crankshaft by the use of roller and/or ball bearing(s). 28. The engine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 27 wherein said first and second of said bevelled alignment gears have an outwardly facing gear face. 29. The engine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 28 wherein said connection means for each piston is a connection rod pivotally connected at a first end to said reciprocator and at a second end to said piston. 30. The engine as claimed in claim 29 wherein said connection rod at said first end is provided with pivoting means which allow its rotation displacement to said reciprocator about an axis tangential to the rotational path of said reciprocator about said crankshaft and about an axis coinciding with a radial plane from said crank axis. 31. The engine as claimed in claims 29 or 30 wherein at said second end said connection rod is provided with pivoting means to allow its rotational displacement relative to said piston about an axis tangential to the path of rotation of the piston about the shaft axis and about a rotation axis in a radial plane from said shaft axis. 32. The engine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said indexing means is and annular and planetary gearing arrangement wherein the annular gear is carried by the cylinder support means, at least two planetary gears displaceably fixed to said ported means (but rotatable about their axes) and geared to and between said annular gear and a gear of said shaft. 33. The engine as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 32 wherein each said cylinder is releasably secured to said cylinder support means (or extension thereof) by fasting means and said first end of said connection rod is releasably secured to said reciprocator to allow the removal as a unit of a cylinder and piston assembly. 34. The engine as claimed in claim 33 which is further provided with an engine casing to encompass said piston and cylinder assemblies, cylinder support means and reciprocator, said engine casing providing a coverable opening of an appropriate size to allow the removal of said cylinder piston assembly. 35. A fluid displacement machine comprising a power input shaft having a shaft axis and carrying a crank shaft having a crank axis oblique to the shaft axis to intersect therewith at a notional point (hereinafter referred to as point X), an array of piston and cylinder assemblies to rotate as assemblies relative to said shaft and about said shaft axis, each said "cylinder" being of any appropriate cross section (with respect to its reciprocal axis) and the cross section of each complementary piston being complementary to the cross section of its cylinder, each said cylinder having at least one inlet/outlet port reciprocator mounted to rotate relative to the crank shaft about said crank axis, to allow during the rotation of the reciprocator about said crank axis, the requisite reciprocal displacement of each piston within its associated cylinder between top dead centre (TDC) and bottom dead centre (BDC) as the array of piston and cylinder assemblies rotates relative to and about the shaft axis for each piston a connection means as an extensions from or part of said reciprocator, ported means relative to which said at least on inlet/outlet port of said each cylinder of said array move sealably to allow (indexed at some rate to the reciprocal movement of each piston in its cylinder and to the rotational position of the inlet/outlet port(s) of each cylinder relative to said ported means) the induction and delivery strokes of fluid therethrough, a first bevelled alignment gear mounted to or an extension of said array of piston and cylinder assemblies to remain stationary relative to said cylinders and to rotate therewith about said shaft, engaged at a gear face thereof with a complementary gear face of a second bevelled alignment gear of said bevelled alignment gear set mounted to or an extension of said reciprocator to remain stationary relative thereto and to rotate about said crank shaft, an indexing means to index the rotation of said array of piston and cylinder assemblies and reciprocator to said ported means WHEREIN said first and said second bevelled engagement gears are of identical pitch diameter (same number of teeth; ratio of 1:1) such that the piston and cylinder assemblies remain in rotational parity with said reciprocator about said shaft, and said indexing means consists of a first bevelled displacement gear of a bevelled displacement gear set located about and concentric with said power input shaft, mounted to or an extension of the ported means to remain stationary relative thereto and engaged at a gear face thereof with a complementary gear face of a second bevelled displacement gear of said bevelled displacement gear set located concentric with the crank shaft and mounted to or an extension of said reciprocator to remain stationary relative thereto (and therefore also said second of said bevelled alignment gears) wherein the ratio of pitch diameter of said first bevelled displacement gear to the pitch diameter of said second bevelled displacement gear is selected from one of (a) N:N+1 (where N is the number of cylinders of said array of piston and cylinder assembly) for an engine where the shaft counter-rotates the array of piston and cylinder assembly and (b) N:N-1 (where N is the number of cylinders of said array of piston and cylinder assembly) for an engine where the shaft co-rotates the array of piston and cylinder assembly. 36. The fluid displacement machine as claimed in claim 35 wherein, when the ratio of pitch diameter of said first bevelled displacement gear to the pitch diameter of said second bevelled displacement gear is N:N+1 the first of said bevelled displacement gears has an inwardly gear face engaged as a displaceable point contact with an outwardly gear face of said second of said bevelled displacement gears. 37. The fluid displacement machine as claimed in claim 35 wherein when the ratio of pitch diameter of said first bevelled displacement gear to the pitch diameter of said second bevelled displacement gear is N:N-1 the first of said bevelled displacement gears has an outwardly gear face engaged as a displaceable point contact with an inwardly gear face of said second of said bevelled displacement gears. 38. The fluid displacement machine as claimed in any one of claims 35 to 37 wherein the conical distance of said first and said second bevelled displacement gears is identical. 39. The fluid displacement machine as claimed in any one of claims 34 to 38 wherein the conical distance of said flrst and said second bevelled alignment gears is identical. 40. The fluid displacement machine as claimed in any one of claims 34 to 39 wherein the conical apex of said first and said second bevelled alignment gears coincide at point X. 41. The fluid displacement machine as claimed in any one of claims 35 to 40 wherein the conical apex of said first and said second bevelled displacement gears and the conical apex of said first and said second bevelled alignment gears coincide at point X. 42. An internal combustion engine substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 43. A fluid displacement machine substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

1417-mas-1998-abstract.pdf

1417-mas-1998-claims filed.pdf

1417-mas-1998-claims granted.pdf

1417-mas-1998-correspondnece-others.pdf

1417-mas-1998-correspondnece-po.pdf

1417-mas-1998-description(complete)filed.pdf

1417-mas-1998-description(complete)granted.pdf

1417-mas-1998-drawings.pdf

1417-mas-1998-form 1.pdf

1417-mas-1998-form 19.pdf

1417-mas-1998-form 26.pdf

1417-mas-1998-form 3.pdf

1417-mas-1998-form 4.pdf

1417-mas-1998-form 5.pdf

1417-mas-1998-other document.pdf

1417-mas-1998-pct.pdf