I recently saw a demonstration of a power tool operated by a single stroke single cylinder linear 'engine' operating on refined hydrocarbon fuel and a battery. This engine does not incorporate a flywheel as would normally be expected. This was the reslt of the designer/inventor ' thinking outside the box.'
Any idea what it is used for?
s/Stan
Single Cylinder Linear Engine
Re: Single Cylinder Linear Engine
I'll take a stab at it. The only engine like this that I know of is a Paslode Nail Gun. No compressed air supply like normal nail guns. It uses gas and a battery for spark, to fire the single cylinder linear engine to push the nail.
They sure beat draging a hose arround all day!
They sure beat draging a hose arround all day!
Re: Single Cylinder Linear Engine
Hi Stan,
This tidbit may not be directly related. The only power tools I know of to date that use petroleum distilled hydrocarbon fuel cell technology and a battery are nailers and staplers like Paslode, Portercable etc. Nice for finish work where no air or electricity is available.(Oops, Mike beat me to posting this now. I started to answer at 6am and never hit continue till lunch time [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/tongue.gif"%20alt="[/img]).
Calling it a single cycle engine is technically correct. But, that may get the EPA involved with catalytic converters, respirators and restricted to outdoor use only? LOL!
The current term in use is "Impulse gun".
As an FYI Toshiba and a few other laptop OEM's are developing fuel cells to run 5-40 hrs continuous. Little generators?
Paslode 901000
Pile hammer equipment uses a jumping piston and diesel fuel to drive piles or well liners. I thought that was an interesting use of simple power conversion.
DC
This tidbit may not be directly related. The only power tools I know of to date that use petroleum distilled hydrocarbon fuel cell technology and a battery are nailers and staplers like Paslode, Portercable etc. Nice for finish work where no air or electricity is available.(Oops, Mike beat me to posting this now. I started to answer at 6am and never hit continue till lunch time [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/tongue.gif"%20alt="[/img]).
Calling it a single cycle engine is technically correct. But, that may get the EPA involved with catalytic converters, respirators and restricted to outdoor use only? LOL!
The current term in use is "Impulse gun".
As an FYI Toshiba and a few other laptop OEM's are developing fuel cells to run 5-40 hrs continuous. Little generators?
Paslode 901000
Pile hammer equipment uses a jumping piston and diesel fuel to drive piles or well liners. I thought that was an interesting use of simple power conversion.
DC
Re: Single Cylinder Linear Engine
Echo makes a gasoline powered hand drill, but it's not reversable. I notice the Paslode is fueled with proprietary butane cartridges. It sounds like it could be spendy to feed in the long run.
I've always thought that a 1 to 2 HP gasoline powered framing or beam saw would be a neat tool for work in the rafters and that a gasoline powered jointer or hand plane would be cool.
Something I once saw written up was a gasoline 2 stroke engine where the piston worked against a spring. A tuned mass with a big magnet was attached to the piston and as it oscillated back and forth the magnet was used to generate electricity in a coil that the magnet slipped through. The crankcase was a closed tube with the piston, spring, tuned mass and magnet inside. What I don't remember was how the thing was started. Within the next 4 years, EPA will regulate this sort of thing out of existence.
I've always thought that a 1 to 2 HP gasoline powered framing or beam saw would be a neat tool for work in the rafters and that a gasoline powered jointer or hand plane would be cool.
Something I once saw written up was a gasoline 2 stroke engine where the piston worked against a spring. A tuned mass with a big magnet was attached to the piston and as it oscillated back and forth the magnet was used to generate electricity in a coil that the magnet slipped through. The crankcase was a closed tube with the piston, spring, tuned mass and magnet inside. What I don't remember was how the thing was started. Within the next 4 years, EPA will regulate this sort of thing out of existence.
Re: Single Cylinder Linear Engine
I'm not sure if the EPA had anything to do with it, but I heard gas lawn trimmers and blowers are not allowed in some parts of California already. I think it was noise abatement laws. Utilitarian, but 1000 watt car stereos are overlooked?
One of the funniest gas powered things I had come across was a blender for mixing drinks at tailgate parties.
DC
One of the funniest gas powered things I had come across was a blender for mixing drinks at tailgate parties.
DC
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oheider
Re: Single Cylinder Linear Engine
When I was somewhat younger (when wheels were made of stone and cars were made iron as my kids would say) I took a young lady to a Hot Rod show and she won a gasoline powered pogo stick. When it was tuned right it would make your ankles hurt. No crankshaft. The ignition points and sparkplug were just a wire into the combustion chamber that hit the piston. Carbureator had a bore about the size of a # 2 Ticonderoga.
Otto
Otto
Re: Single Cylinder Linear Engine
CARB Tier I and II got 35 of 37 models of trimmers and blowers sold by the company I work for.
Noise abatement is a lot rarer, but is on the rise.
Noise abatement is a lot rarer, but is on the rise.
Re: Single Cylinder Linear Engine
Great story Otto.
My search on the web brought up some interesting history about them.
That will keep me chuckling for the rest of the week! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif"%20alt="[/img]
Doubt that would fly long with lawyers today, huh?
DC
My search on the web brought up some interesting history about them.
That will keep me chuckling for the rest of the week! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif"%20alt="[/img]
Doubt that would fly long with lawyers today, huh?
DC
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J_Tiers
Re: Single Cylinder Linear Engine
I used to see those all over. They were the tamper/compactors used on construction jobs.
The "head" was the handle, tank, etc, the "piston" was the shaft of the tamper foot.
The "head" was the handle, tank, etc, the "piston" was the shaft of the tamper foot.
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J_Tiers
Re: Single Cylinder Linear Engine
Saw another one, can't believe I didn't mention it too.
Pile driver.
The "monkey" is the piston, I think, and the rest is the cylinder etc. Actually, the "monkey" has the piston coming off the bottom. The explosion is the impulse, I think. But it is possible that the monkey actually hits first, and then the explosion is used to lift it again. Anyway, it works, and it is an engine.
Saw one out on the highway a couple days ago, and realized when I saw the puffs of smoke coming off the top of the pile what was up. Hadn't seen one of them for 20 years.
Pile driver.
The "monkey" is the piston, I think, and the rest is the cylinder etc. Actually, the "monkey" has the piston coming off the bottom. The explosion is the impulse, I think. But it is possible that the monkey actually hits first, and then the explosion is used to lift it again. Anyway, it works, and it is an engine.
Saw one out on the highway a couple days ago, and realized when I saw the puffs of smoke coming off the top of the pile what was up. Hadn't seen one of them for 20 years.
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oheider
Re: Single Cylinder Linear Engine
I have been around those slobbering, drooling, stinky and noisy pile drivers to some(small) degree. The explosion is supposed to occur before "TDC" to throw the piston back up to the top. When you figure the force delivered to the pile the "explosion" is ignored. If the retaining rings at the top of the housing are broken, the piston comes out of the top and ruins everyone's day if it doesn't kill someone. Compressed air powered hammers were worse than diesel powered. Like being under a flock of seagulls that ate cascara bark. Talk to an old pile buck, hard dangerous work but it gets in your blood.
Otto
Otto