"One stroke engine."

[Tom]

After Kevin Cameron's explanation, it makes sense to me.   

https://www.cycleworld.com/story/bikes/one-stroke-engine-revisited/?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=email&tp=i-1NGB-Et-PJS-12Tp2E-1c-4oLL-1c-12UAav-l4ptm3Qgww-2GP2O6

[cloudbase]

Premature evacuation.

[Tom]

 

[normzone]

For further reading on how a one stroke engine can be utilized, see Larry Niven's "King David's Spaceship".

[agdrache]

[Tom]

I gotta get Sasquatch Jim to post his Vickers motorcycle story. 

[siabeid]

I haven't seen one in awhile, but they used to make nail guns that were one stroke engines. They had fuel and some kind of coil. When you pulled the trigger, it would spark and fire the piston, which would drive the nail. Like an air nailer, but with no need for hoses. A guy I worked with had one, but to me it was more trouble than it was worth. I preferred dragging around hoses.

[ozarquebus]

Royal Enfield: Built Like a Gun? Hopefully better than the Indian INSAS Assault Rifle

[jcctx]

In high school I wrote a paper on IC engines; in my research I came across a chinese water pump from the time gun powder was invented. It was a cylinder filled with water at the base of a hill~when filled with water a powder charge blasted the "piston" which lifted the water to the top of the hill!

[Tom]

Popular belief is that they didn't know what to do with gunpowder except for use in firecrackers. 

[Ncdan]

I haven't seen one in awhile, but they used to make nail guns that were one stroke engines. They had fuel and some kind of coil. When you pulled the trigger, it would spark and fire the piston, which would drive the nail. Like an air nailer, but with no need for hoses. A guy I worked with had one, but to me it was more trouble than it was worth. I preferred dragging around hoses.

I think you are referring to the Pasload nail gun. They are great for framing as crawling around rafters dragging an air hose is a little difficult as well as dangerous. The Pasload has a gas bottle and a battery for the ignition striker source. If you know how to adjust, clean and set them, they work great. They are like any other tool, one must be smarter than the tool;)

[Dilliw]

When I did work for a Venture Capital firm there was a guy who had a single stroke engine design.  I remember him saying that a 2 stroke was twice as efficient per displacement as a 4 stroke and that his single stroke would be twice again.  He was an older gentlemen and was accompanied by his daughter.

There were no financing takers so I assume he didn't have sufficient property protection.  That's cause No. 2 for good ideas going to the heap.  Cause No. 1 is the inventor not understanding that he/she will have to give it away in order to commercialize it. 

[normzone]

For further reading on how a one stroke engine can be utilized, see Larry Niven's "King David's Spaceship".

I must correct myself - that should be Jerry Pournelle, not Larry Niven - they did a bunch of collaborations.

The premise of the novel is that in order to get recognition as a full partner in the empire of planets one must have a space program.

To beat the deadline, King David launches a gunpowder powered space capsule into orbit to meet the visiting naval fleet. It is rather rough on the pilot, but successful.

[JJ]

At first glance, I thought these were talking about this interesting and unique motors...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5X0bIh2Up8

[Lannis]

To beat the deadline, King David launches a gunpowder powered space capsule into orbit to meet the visiting naval fleet. It is rather rough on the pilot, but successful.

And it wasn't gunpowder like we would use to fire a solid rocket, burning through a nozzle ... they set up a chain gun to fire out of the back of the "spaceship", loaded up a bunch of cartridges, and off they went!

Lannis