Laminated universal effort machine

1 . An effort machine, comprising:

i. a first shaft;

ii. a second shaft;

iii. a power disc joined to the first shaft to rotate with the first shaft, the power disc having a first circumference and a moment beam extending radially from a portion of the first circumference;

iv. a gate disc joined to the second shaft to rotate with the second shaft, the gate disc having a perimeter that comprises a partial circumference and an indentation, the partial circumference extending from a first edge to a second edge and the indentation extending inward between the first edge and the second edge opposite the partial circumference;

v. a timing apparatus coupled to the first shaft and to the second shaft and configured to control a rotation of the gate disc and the power disc, such that at a first rotational range the first circumference contacts the partial circumference, and at a second rotational range the moment beam is contained within the indentation;

vi. a compression plate, having an inlet, an outlet, and a cavity, the cavity being configured for holding the power disc and the gate disc, the cavity being bounded by:

a first curved wall centered about the first shaft and having a first end and a second end; and

a second curved wall centered about the second shaft and meeting the first curved wall at the first end of the first curved wall and at the second end of the first curved wall;

vii. a lower panel below the compression plate and configured to close the cavity from below;

viii. an upper panel above the compression plate and configured to close the cavity from above;

wherein the first curved wall is configured such that the moment beam is flush with the first curved wall in the first rotational range, wherein the lower panel is flush with bottom surfaces of the power disc and the gate disk, and wherein the upper panel is flush with top surfaces of the power disc and the gate disk;

wherein the inlet opens into the cavity at a first position on the first curved wall for guiding a fluid from outside the compression plate into the cavity;

wherein the outlet opens into the cavity at a second position on the first curved wall for guiding the fluid from the cavity outside the compression plate.

2 . The effort machine of claim 1 , wherein the first position is on the first wall, in a vicinity of the first end of the first curved wall, while the second position is on the first wall, in a vicinity of the second end of the first curved wall.

3 . The effort machine of claim 1 , wherein the timing apparatus comprises:

a first gear joined to the first shaft to rotate with the first shaft; and

a second gear meshed with the first gear, the second gear being joined to the second shaft to rotate with the second shaft;

wherein the first gear and the second gear are located outside the compression plate, beyond the lower panel or beyond the upper panel.

4 . The effort machine of claim 1 , wherein:

the lower panel has a first opening configured to be traversed by the first shaft and a second opening configured to be traversed by the second shaft, the effort machine comprises a first bearing and a second bearing covering the first opening and the second opening, respectively, the first bearing being configured to couple to the first shaft and the second bearing being configured to couple to the second shaft, to enable rotation of the first shaft and the second shaft while preventing flow of the fluid out of the cavity of the compression plate via the lower panel; and/or

the upper panel has a third opening configured to be traversed by the first shaft and a fourth opening configured to be traversed by the second shaft, while the effort machine comprises a third bearing and a fourth bearing covering the third opening and the fourth opening, respectively, the third bearing being configured to couple to the first shaft and the fourth bearing being configured to couple to second shaft, to enable rotation of the first shaft and the second shaft while preventing flow of the fluid out of the cavity of the compression plate via the upper panel.

5 . The effort machine of claim 1 , wherein:

the fluid entering the cavity via the inlet comprises a flammable fluid;

the compression plate comprises an ignition port located on the first curved wall in a vicinity of the inlet, the ignition port comprising an ignition device configured to ignite the flammable fluid located between the moment beam of the power disc and the partial circumference of the gate disc in the first rotational range, once the inlet and the ignition port are cleared by the moment beam.

6 . The effort machine of claim 1 , comprising a one-way valve at the inlet to prevent flow of the fluid out of the cavity via the inlet.

7 . The effort machine of claim 1 , wherein the compression plate is a first compression plate and the effort machine comprises at least one second compression plate having a second cavity containing a second power disc and a second gate disk, wherein:

the second compression plate is stackable onto the first compression plate on top of the upper panel, such that the second power disc is joined to the first shaft to rotate with the first shaft and the second gate disc is joined to the second shaft to rotate with the second shaft;

the second cavity is bounded by:

a third curved wall centered about the first shaft and having a third end and a fourth end; and

a fourth curved wall centered about the second shaft and meeting the third curved wall at the third end and at the fourth end;

the second power disc has a second circumference and a second moment beam extending radially from a portion of the second circumference;

the second gate disc has a second perimeter that comprises a second partial circumference and a second indentation, the second partial circumference extending from a third edge to a fourth edge and the second indentation extending inward between the third edge and the fourth edge opposite the second partial circumference;

at a third rotational range the second circumference of the second power disc contacts the second partial circumference of the second gate disc, and at a fourth rotational range the second moment beam is contained within the second indentation.

8 . The effort machine of claim 7 , wherein the third rotational range corresponds to the first rotational range, while the fourth rotational range corresponds the second rotational range.

9 . The effort machine of claim 7 , wherein the third rotational range is offset with respect to the first rotational range, while the fourth rotational range is offset with respect to the second rotational range.

10 . The effort machine of claim 7 , wherein the second compression plate has:

a second inlet which opens into the second cavity at a third position on the third curved wall for guiding the fluid from outside the second compression plate into the second cavity;

a second outlet which opens into the second cavity at a fourth position on the third curved wall for guiding the fluid from the second cavity outside the compression plate.

11 . The effort machine of claim 7 , wherein:

the second compression plate has a second inlet which opens into the second cavity at a third position on the third curved wall for guiding the fluid from outside the second compression plate into the second cavity;

the upper panel between the first compression plate and the second compression plate has a channel having a first end opening under the second power disc and a second end opening above the cavity of the first compression plate;

the second power disc has a notch located on the bottom of the second power disc, downstream of the second moment arm, and conforming to the first end of the channel, such that when the notch aligns with the first end of the channel, compressed fluid flows into the channel from the second cavity of the second compression plate to the cavity of the first compression plate.

12 . The effort machine of claim 11 , wherein the second end of the channel opens in a vicinity of the first end of the first wall.

13 . The effort machine of claim 1 , further comprising:

a third shaft;

a second power disc joined to the third shaft to rotate with the third shaft, the second power disc having a second circumference and a second moment beam extending radially from a portion of the second circumference;

wherein the compression plate comprises a third curved wall centered about the third shaft and having a third end and a fourth end, the third curved wall meeting the second curved wall at the third end and the fourth end, such that the cavity is bounded by the first wall, the second wall, and the fourth wall;

wherein the timing apparatus is coupled to the first shaft, the second shaft, and the third shaft, such that:

the first rotational range comprises a first subrange, a second subrange, and a third subrange;

in the first subrange of the first rotational range, the first circumference of the first power disc contacts the partial circumference of the gate disc, while the second circumference of the second power disc contacts the partial circumference of the gate disc;

in the second subrange of the first rotational range, the second moment beam of the second power disc is contained within the indentation of the gate disc;

in the third subrange of the first rotational range, the first circumference of the first power disc contacts the partial circumference of the gate disc, while the second circumference of the second power disc contacts the partial circumference of the gate disc;

in the second rotational range, the first moment beam of the first power disc is contained within the indentation of the gate disc.

14 . The effort machine of claim 13 , wherein the timing apparatus comprises:

a first gear joined to the first shaft to rotate with the first shaft;

a second gear meshed with the first gear, the second gear being joined to the second shaft to rotate with the second shaft; and

a third gear meshed with the second gear, the third gear being joined to the third shaft to rotate with the third shaft;

wherein the first gear, the second gear, and the third gear are located outside the compression plate, beyond the lower panel or beyond the upper panel.

15 . The effort machine of claim 1 , comprising a magnetic rotor which comprises:

an electrical coil;

a rotating element having magnets disposed thereupon, the rotating element being joined to at least one of the first shaft and the second shaft to rotate coaxially with the at least one of the first shaft and the second shaft.

16 . The effort machine of claim 15 , wherein the magnetic rotor is configured to be used as a generator, by converting rotation of the at least one of the first shaft and the second shaft into rotation of the rotating element, and into electrical current passing through the coils due to rotation of the magnets in the rotating element.

17 . The effort machine of claim 15 , wherein the magnetic rotor is configured to be used as a motor, by converting electrical current passing through the coils into rotation of the rotating element, and to rotation of the at least one of the first shaft and the second shaft joined to the rotating element.

18 . The effort machine of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the upper panel and the lower panel comprise:

a circulation subpanel comprising an input port for receiving a lubricant or a coolant, a groove for circulating the lubricant or the coolant along the circulation subpanel, and an output port for discharging the lubricant or the coolant; and

at least one cover subpanel to close the groove.

19 . The effort machine of claim 1 , comprising a detection system configured to detect a position of the moment beam and of the indentation.

20 . An effort machine, comprising:

i. a first shaft;

ii. a second shaft;

iii. a power disc joined to the first shaft to rotate with the first shaft, the power disc having a first circumference, a first moment beam extending radially from a first portion of the first circumference, and a second moment beam extending radially from a second portion of the first circumference opposite to the first portion;

iv. a gate disc joined to the second shaft to rotate with the second shaft, the gate disc having a perimeter that comprises a first partial circumference, a first indentation, a second partial circumference, and a second indentation, such that each of the first partial circumferences and the second partial circumference is adjacent to the first indentation and the second indentation, while being opposite to each other;

v. a timing apparatus coupled to the first shaft and to the second shaft and configured to control a rotation of the gate disc and the power disc, such that:

at a first rotational range, the first moment beam is contained in the first indentation;

at a second rotational range, the first circumference contacts the first partial circumference;

at a third rotational range, the second moment beam is contained in the second indentation;

at fourth rotational range, the first circumference contacts the second partial circumference;

vi. a compression plate, having an inlet, an outlet, and a cavity, the cavity being configured for holding the power disc and the gate disc, the cavity being bounded by:

a first curved wall centered about the first shaft and having a first end and a second end; and

a second curved wall centered about the second shaft and meeting the first curved wall at the first end of the first curved wall and at the second end of the first curved wall;

vii. a lower panel below the compression plate and configured to close the cavity from below;

viii. an upper panel above the compression plate and configured to close the cavity from above;

wherein the first curved wall is configured such that the first moment beam and the second moment beam are flush with the first curved wall when not in respective ones of the first indentation and the second indentation, wherein the lower panel is flush with bottom surfaces of the power disc and the gate disk, and wherein the upper panel is flush with top surfaces of the power disc and the gate disk;

wherein the inlet opens into the cavity at a first position on the first curved wall for guiding a fluid from outside the compression plate into the cavity;

wherein the outlet opens into the cavity at a second position on the first curved wall for guiding the fluid from the cavity outside the compression plate.