Do you know what a hit and miss engine is? How about a wood gasifier? Ever heard of a Sterling engine?

The engine is a big clumsy thing that we harness and carefully control through the transmition.

Sorry I misunderstood your question. I've heard of The Stirling Engine but not the rest.

I don't

I built a sterling engine in jr high shop class in the early mid 80's, it was our class project, it got lost in a move.