Two Stroke Engine

A two-stroke, or two-cycle, engine is a type of internal combustion engine which completes a power cycle in only one crankshaft revolution and with two strokes, or up and down movements, of the piston in comparison to a "four-stroke engine", which uses four strokes. This is accomplished by the end of the combustion stroke and the beginning of the compression stroke happening simultaneously and performing the intake and exhaust (or scavenging) functions at the same time.

The engine motion is like this:

Two-stroke engines often provide high power-to-weight ratio, usually in a narrow range of rotational speeds called the "power band". Compared to 4-stroke engines, they have a greatly reduced number of moving parts, are more compact and significantly lighter.

The first commercial two-stroke engine involving in-cylinder compression is attributed to Scottish engineer Dugald Clerk, who in 1881 patented his design, his engine having a separate charging cylinder. The crankcase-scavenged engine, employing the area below the piston as a charging pump, is generally credited to Englishman Joseph Day.