The Silent Path: The Development of the Single Sleeve Valve Two-Stroke Engine over the Last 110 Years

At the beginning of 20th century operational issues Otto engine had not been fully resolved. The work presented here seeks to chronicle development one alternative design pathways, namely replacement for gas exchange mechanism more conventional poppet valve arrangement with that a sleeve valve. There have several successful engines built these devices, which number attractive features superior valves. This review moves from initial Charles Knight, Peter Burt, and James McCollum, in first decade century, through others develop two-stroke version sleeve-valve engine, climaxed construction most powerful piston aeroengines ever built, Rolls-Royce Crecy. After period high activity 1940s, there limited further developments. patent efforts changed over time sleeve-drive mechanisms cylinder head cooling improvements control thermal expansion relative components improve durability. These documents provide foundation an internal combustion potentially efficiency.