What you've just described is what GM used in A/C compressors back in the
50s/60s as A/C pumps.
Those concentric shaft are also used on many high pressure Aircraft
pumps.

Stan Wilder

On Thu, 19 Jun 2003 23:03:21 -0500 John Rodgers <j_rodgers@CHARTER.NET>
writes:
> Hopeing some of The List's aviation types could help me out here.
>
> There was a FAA certified engine that had a crankshaft with a sort
> of
> waffle plate mounted in the center. Like the shaft went through the
> center of a circular plate. The plate was waffled up and down so
> that if
> the plate was in a slot, and the crank turned, the plate moved
> through
> the slot and the waffle made the slotted peice move back and forth
> .
> Prol'ly not making any sense, but don't know how to describe this
> thing.
> Anyway, the pistons were long cylingers with a single slot in the
> side.
> They are what rode on the waffle plate, and they were mounted
> parallel
> to the crankshaft, not perpendicular. The pistons were double ended,
> and
> as the crank rotated, the waffle plate wobbled, and being in the
> slot on
> the pistons, made the pistons move back and forth. This engine had
> spark
> plugs at both ends, and you could shut down one bank of plugs and
> save
> fuel. It was water cooled as I recall, and was designed to have a
> low
> frontal resistance to air flow.
>
> I am trying to find a name for this engine, so I can research it.
> Anybody have any info on this thing. A name, or a source of info,
> etc.
> Like I said, it was certified by the FAA for use in aircraft, but
> it
> never made it in the aircraft engine market. Some years ago I had
> heard
> that the certificate holder was looking for a partner to get this
> engine
> to market, so the concept was not dead, even then.
>
> Thanks for any help  ---- and apologies for the non-Vgon band width
> use.
>
> John  Rodgers
> 88 GL Driver
>
>

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