| CPC F01C 1/077 (2013.01) [F01C 21/007 (2013.01); F01C 21/008 (2013.01); F01C 21/10 (2013.01); F01C 21/18 (2013.01); F02B 53/00 (2013.01); F02B 53/12 (2013.01); F02B 55/02 (2013.01); F02B 55/08 (2013.01); F02B 55/14 (2013.01); F02B 55/16 (2013.01)] | 14 Claims |

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1. A rotational engine system comprising:
a rotational engine including:
an outer ring enclosure defining a circular shape;
an inner ring component including a piston and a drive gear engagement portion, the piston disposed within the outer ring enclosure and configured to travel within the outer ring enclosure along a circumference of the circular shape of the outer ring enclosure, the drive gear engagement portion coupled to the piston and configured to rotate as the piston travels along the circumference of the circular shape of the outer ring enclosure; and
a drive gear disposed externally to the outer ring enclosure and coupled to the drive gear engagement portion of the inner ring component such that rotation of the drive gear engagement portion rotationally drives the drive gear;
a propulsion system configured to deliver propulsive energy into the outer ring enclosure to propel the piston along the circumference of the circular shape of the outer ring enclosure; and
a gear box and a controller, the gear box being communicatively coupled to the controller and configured to receive rotational power from the drive gear at a first torque and a first speed and to apply a variable gear ratio to the rotational power to produce a second torque and a second speed, the second torque being different than the first torque and the second speed being different than the first speed, wherein the controller is configured to prevent the rotational power applied by the drive gear from exceeding a predetermined threshold percentage of a total potential power output of the rotational engine.
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