This invention relates to an engine, which comprises contraction- active, ion- separating means . The invention has the object to produce a new type of engine, for the operation of which ener gy sources can be utilized which at present are not conventional, and which engine from a manufacturing point of view is well adapted for mass production and takes advantage of the electrical and mechanical properties of different materials . The characterizing features of an engine designed according to the invention are apparent from the attached claims .

The invention is described in greater detail in the following, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

Fig. 1 shows schematically by way of a section from the side an engine according to the invention,

Fig. 2 shows from above a rigid network and laid-in therein folded plates comprised in the engine according to Fig. 1 , Fig. 3 shows a modification of the arrangement according to Fig. 2.

The engine according to Fig. 1 comprises a plurality of folded, vertically plane plates 10, an upper stationary rigid network 1 1 , a lower movable rigid network 12, valve means 13 located above the upper network 11 , and a mechanical member 14 for withdrawing mechanic energy located movably below the lower network 12.

The folded plates 10, which in greater detail are shown in Figs . 2 and 3 , are attached at their upper end to the upper network 1 1 and at their lower end to the lower network 12. The mechanic member, which consists of a piston 141 working in a cylinder 15 and of a piston rod 142, is attached via a mechanic transition piece 16 to the lower net¬ work 12. The plates 10, the network 12, the transition piece 16 and the member 14, thus, are suspended at the upper network 11 , which is held together by bolts 17.

The valve means 13 comprise V- shaped portions , each of which consists of two stationary inner walls 131 provided with flow holes and of two movable outer slides 132 also provided with flow holes . One inner wall 131 and one outer slide 132 have parallel face s, and the remaining inner wall 131 and the remaining outer slide 132 have

parallel faces . The two slides 132 in all valve means co-operate in synchronism, in such a manner that, when a flow connection 18 is op between a magazine for a first liquid, for example a saline solution o high concentration, and the valve means, a flow connection 19 betwee a second liquid, for example a saline solution of low concentration or water, and the valve means is closed. When a suitable amount of liquid has flown to the means, the slides are displaced (perpendicular ly to the plane of the drawing) and permit the liquid to flow over the plates 10. In this way, the means permit alternatingly a liquid rich in ions and a liquid poor in ions to flow over the plates, so that the plates alternatingly are contracted and extended. As a result thereof, the piston 141 moves reciprocatingly in the cylinder 15. This move¬ ment can be utilized in many ways per se known, whereby the contraction/extension-movements of the plates can be utilized as mechanic energy.

The aforementioned flow connections 18 and 19 are indicated in Fig. 1 as horizontal tube systems, which through valves (not shown) release the liquid rich in ions and, respectively, the liquid poor in ions . The operation of these valves is controlled according to a predetermined program in synchronism with the program of the movements of the slides 132.

The movement of the piston 141 is indicated by showing a highest position 141 by means of dotted lines . The position 141 is corresponded by a highest position 12 /l 6 for the lower network 12 and, respectively, the transition piece 16.

Below the folded plates a movable collecting means 150 is located, which is able to assume the position shown in Fig. 1 or a second position 150 indicated by dotted lines. The means 150 shifts betwee the two positions in synchronism with the movements of the slides 13 so that in the position shown by a continuous line the collecting means 150 is included in a closed liquid system for said first liquid in such manner, that this liquid is collected in a space or container 151 and pumped therefrom upward to the magazine, which is connected to the tube system 18 , while in the position shown by dotted lines the collect ing means 150 is included in a closed liquid system for said second liquid in such a manner, that the liquid is collected in a space or

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container 152 and pumped therefrom upward to the magazine connected to the tube system 19.

The said rigid networks 11 and 12, as appears from Fig. 2, consist of a plurality of longitudinal, parallel and substantially horizontal cla p- ing bars 21, 22, 23 with cross-bars extending therefrom on both sides. From the clamping bar 22, for example, cross-bars 221, 222, 223, .... 226 extend (upward in the plane of the drawing) and, respect¬ ively, 221 , 222 , 223 , .... 226 (downward in the plane of the drawing), in such a manner, that the cross-bars extending from one side of the clamping bar are offset in relation to the cross-bars fro the other side of the clamping bar. The free ends of the cross-bars are pointed, see for example the cross-bar 231 of the clamping bar 23, and the clamping bars have pointed recesses between the outward¬ ly extending cross-bars, which recesses are intended for cross-bars of adjacent clamping bars. The clamping bar 23, for example, has recesses 232, 233, 234.... 237 intended for cross-bars 241, 242, 243, .... 246 (not shown in Fig. 2) of a clamping bar 24.

The folded plates mentioned with reference to Fig. 1 are apparent from Fig. 2, which shows three such plates designated by 25, 26, 27. These folded plates are clamped in between cross-bars of a clamping bar and an adjacent clamping bar. The plate 26, for example, is clamped in between the cross-bars 221, 222, 223 .... 226 of the clamping bar 22 on one side, and between the cross-bars 211 , 212', 213 .... 216 and the clamping bar 22 on the other side. Fig. 3 shows a modification of the device according to Fig. 2 in that respect, that the clamping bars 31 and 32 have no such recesses as, for example, the recess 232 in Fig. 2, and that the cross-bars of the clamping bars have free ends, which are cut-off straight, see for example the cross-bars 321, 322, .... 325 of the clamping bar 31. The folded plates are located clamped in between the clamping bars and the straight cut-off ends of the cross-bars, see for example the plate 33, which is located clamped in between the clamping bars 31 and 32 and their cross-bars 311, 312.... 315 and, respectively, 321, 322 325. The plates preferably are designed so that their edges at the clamping places are slightly conical, the thickness increasing toward the free

end of the respective edge. This appears from. Fig. 3 where the plate 33 has a greater thicknes s, for example, at the end of the cross -bar 311 than at the plate portion between the end of the cross-bar 31 1 and the end of the cros s-bar 321 . Hereby the plates effectively are pre- vented from sliding out of the position clamped in between the clamp¬ ing bar s and the cross -bars particularly when the free ends of the cross-bars are cut off straight, but not perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the cros s -bars but slightly oblique (obliquely outward, seen from above) . Corresponding bevels obliquely outward on the clamping bars, of course, can also be imagined.

The clamping bars comprise, besides -the portion supporting the cross-bars, also a second portion 110, see Fig. 1 , for suspension of the combination plates -network. The network, as already mentioned , is held together to a block by the bolts 17, and between said second portions of the clamping bars distance member s 1 101 , 1102 and 1103 are located, whereby a suitable distance between the clamping bars at the clamping place for the plates is ensured and an effective clamp¬ ing-together by means of the bolts can be carried out.

At the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 , the common plane extension of the folded plates is oriented in vertical direction, which probably is the most suitable way. It can, however, also be imagined that the common plane extension of the plates is, for example, horizontal. In this case the two liquids must be permitted to flow perpendicularly to the said plane extension, i. e. the said net-works will not be used as spraying means for the liquids, and neces sary modifications of the location of the magazines for the liquids and the collecting space 150 must be made. Even when an orientation of the plates is chosen which is not accurately vertical, a substantially vertical orientation should be preferred to a more or less horizontal orientation. Different combinations of plates and liquids, of course, are imagin¬ able within the s cope of the idea of the invention. The plates, for example, can be formed of a polymer mixture of polyacrylic acid and polyvinyl alcohol, and the liquids may be a saline solution of high concentration and, respectively, a saline solution of low concentration or water . Solution of high concentration here is to be understood as the range between about 27 % and about 8 to 7 % (by weight), while as

solution of low concentration are understood contents as in sea water and down to 0 %. As another example can be mentioned polyacrylic acid as plate material, while the liquids consist of sodium hydroxide rich in OH and hydrochloric acid rich in H, 0 . From a strength point of view the plates suitably may be manufactured so, that after the vulcanization of the material the vulcanization is complete in that portion of the plates which is located at the clamping places (between the clamping bars and the cross -bars) and from there decreases in the direction away from said portion. When using other materials, the manufacture is to be modified in the respect that after the polymerization of the material this must be completely polymer¬ ized (completely cros s -linked) at the clamping places, but not completely polymerized (slightly cross -linked) in the zone between the clamping places . The plates can be manufactured from a single homogenous material or from several composed materials . According to one proposal the plates may consist, besides of contraction-active material, also of inactive material, the fibre direction being in parallel with the edges of the plates at the clamping plates . According to a second proposal the plates may consist of a piece of fabric, in which the warps consist of threads of inactive material, and the weft consists of spun and/or rolled threads of contraction-active material, the s elvedge edges of the fabric piece being attached to the networks . The warps, more precisely, may consist of glas s fibre threads or acryl threads, while the weft consists of polyvinyl alcohol. It also is suitable to coat the fabric with a polymer as binder, which is slightly cros s -linked.

The aforesaid valve means 13 can be arranged to co-operate in a slightly modified manner, viz. so that, while three of them (each second one) are being filled with said fir st liquid, the remaining three release said second liquid over the plates, and vice ver sa.

The shifting of the collecting member 150 from one position to the other one can be initiated by means of a special sensing member located immediately beneath the plates, which sensing member s cans , for example, when a flow of a saline solution of high concentration increasingly ceases , and, for example after a certain delay, causes shifting to the second position, so that the collecting space will be

included in the liquid system for the second liquid. By means of a second sensing member it is pos sible in principle to initiate the return to the first position at a time when the first liquid again can be expected through the plate system.

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