A piston machine includes a cylindrical wall (2) defining a swept volume (1) and having a plurality of gas inlet openings (5), and a piston (3) reciprocating in the swept volume (1), and the piston head (12) of which is formed as a valve having a plurality of openings (14) provided in the piston head (12), and a forcelocking device (16, 21; 18, 24) for retaining the plurality of openings (14) in one of their open condition and closed condition.