"It will run on any fuel with a hydro-carbon base, needs no repair and the oil in it is good for life."
Russell L. Bourke, engineer
In 1932, Russell L. Bourke built an engine he thought was destined to change the world. It had only two moving parts (the pistons) and a fluid bearing connecting the pistons to a Scotch yoke (a mechanism Bourke used instead of a crankshaft to change the linear motion of the pistons to rotary motion). Four years later, Bourke applied for three U.S. patents for his engine; these were issued in 1938.
For twenty years, Bourke was unable to interest government or industry in his engine. Then, in 1957, his patents ran out, enabling anyone in the world to manufacture it. And yet, few were interested. Over the last half century, gas prices have skyrocketed, concern over greenhouse gases has dramatically increased, and the Bourke
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