US1972752A - Internal combustion engine and structure therefor - Google Patents

Description

Sept- 1934. c. BALOUGH 1,972,752

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE AND STRUCTUR'h THEREFOR Original Filed May 2, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet v 1 gnwntoz p 1934- c. ALousu 1,972,752

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE AND STRUCTURE THEREFOR Original Filed May 2, 1929 w ZSheets-Sheet 2 gnvenioo Patented Sept. 4, 1934 Y I I I INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE AND STRUCTURE THEREFOR Charles Balouglr'," Canton, Ohio, assignor to Hercules Motors Corporation, Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio .Reflied for abandoned application Serial No.

359,863, May 2, 1929. This application November 22, 1930, Serial No. 497,589

12 Claims. (Cl. 121-194) My invention relates to internal combustion ento its strength if the access openings were not gines and to structures for such engines, and provided in the crank case, it being understood this application is a substitute for my abandoned that access openings usually weaken an engine application. Serial No. 359,863, filed May 2, 1929. structure.

r Internal combustion motors as now constructed A further object of the present invention is'to 60 are of two general types relative to the valve provide an internal combustion motor comprising mechanism, one of which embodies a construction a relativelyelight removable cylinder block proin which the valves are carried by the cylinder vided with the valve mechanism.

block and the other of which embodies a con- A still further object of the invention isto proin struction in which the valves are carried by the vide an internal combustion motor comprising a 65 cylinder head. relatively deep crank case, a relatively shallow Prior motor constructions in which the valves cylinder block supported on said crank case for were carried by the block necessitated grinding of expeditious removal therefrom and assembly the valves in the block in assembled relation with thereon, said crank case and said cylinder block 15 the crankcase or necessitated a laborious task of provided with interrelated alining means. 70,

removing the block for grinding the valves at a A still further object of the invention is to probench. vide an internal combustion motor comprising a While in the valve-in-head type of motors now crank case, a cylinder block rcm y S pp d constructed the valves can readily be ground as 0n Said Crank d Cylinder b oc be ng DIO- a bench job the present invention has a primary vided with cylindrical extensions projecting into 75 object to provide a motor construction of the said crank case, said cylindrical extensions alinvalve-in-block type wherein the block is readily ing with cylindrical bores in said cylinder block removable for facilitating grinding of the valves forming the cylinders, and said crank case profor reboring the cylinders and in order to readily vided with receiving and centering means for P5 secure access to the pistons. v said extensions. "so

In engines'including separable cylinder blocks A still further object of the invention is to proand crank cases, it has been diflicult to attain vide an internal combustion motor comprising a strength and rigidity for such a composite struca crank case embody g a p u y of main arture equal to the'st'rength and rigidity of a one i gS. a crank S a rotatably Supported in said piece cylinder block and crank case structure. bearings by removable bearing caps, a cylinder The objects of the present improvements inblock removably supported on said crank case, a clude the provision of an engine structure, cylinder d va y supp t d n sa d ylincluding a cylinder block and a separate crank i d b oc a d C o a s or maintaining case, connected with each other in such manner sa d heating caps, cylinder block and cylinder 3 that the strength and rigidity of the resulting head in assembled relation. structure approximates the strength and rigidity -A still further object of the invention is to P of a one piece cylinder block and crank case? vide an internal combustion motor comprising a structure, it being understood that a one piece nk Case, bearings Supported in Said Crank Ca cylinder block is generally believed to approach a crank shaft rotatably supported in S d ea maximum strength and rigidity. ings by bearing caps, bolts projecting through Further objects of the improvements include d bearings and Said p and P d with the provision of an engine structure including a nuts holding Said p i Operative position, a crank case made of aluminum or like material, ylind r lo k rem v lv pp r n said crank and a cylinder block made of cast iron or like case, acylinder head removably supported on said material, and connected witheach other in such cylinder block, said cylinder block and said cylmanner as to subject the crank case largely to vinder head being retained in assembled position compression loads, and substantially eliminating by said bolts. the application of tension loads to the crank case, A still further object of the invention isto proit being understood that the use of aluminum favide an internal combustion motor comprising a 50 cilitates the attainment of a light weight engine crank case provided with crank shaft bearings,

structure. shouldered bolts projecting vertically through Further objects of the improvements include said bearings and above said crank case, the inner the provision of an engine structure including a ends of said bolts extending through bearing caps crank case having access openings therein, and and provided with nuts for maintaining said bear- 55 having a strength and rigidity substantially equal ing caps in position, a cylinder block and a cylinder head supported by said crank case through both of which said bolts extend, and said bolts provided with nuts on the outer. ends thereof for drawing said cylinder block and said cylinder head into assembled position.

These and other objects are attained in the present invention as will hereinafter be set forth in detail and claimed.

A preferred embodiment'of the improvements is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view as on line 1-1, Figs. 2 and 3, of an internal combustion engine including the improved engine structure hereof, the walls about one of the valves in the cylinder block being broken away;

Fig. 2, a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view thereof as on line 2-2, Figs. 1 and 3;

Fig. 3, a fragmentary plan sectional view thereof as on line 3--3, Figs. 1 and 2; and

Fig. 4, a, detached fragmentary transverse sectional view thereof as on line 4-4, Fig. 3.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The internal combustion engine indicated generally at 10 includes in combination with other usual parts of an engine, a crank case 11, a cylinder block 12, and a cylinder head 13.

For attaining lightness, the crank case 11 is preferably made of aluminum, aluminum alloy, or like material. On the other hand for attaining strength and rigidity, the cylinder block 12 is preferably made of semi-steel, cast iron or the like; and likewise the cylinder head 13 may be made of cast iron.

The crank case includes laterally spaced side walls 14 and 14 and a plurality of longitudinally spaced transverse walls 15 and 15' extending between and connected with the side walls. The transverse walls may be either end walls or intermediate walls.

In order to permit access to the interior of the crank case, the wall 14' may have formed therein a plurality of access openings 16, each of which may extend for a greater portion of the length between any two of the transverse walls, such as 15 and 15.

These access openings weaken theside wall 14, and other members of the structure about to be described are adapted not only for counteracting the weakening of the side wall 14' by the access openings 16, but also for providing a strength and rigidity for the resulting engine structure approximately equal to that which it would have if the crank case and cylinder block were made in one piece. I V

The side wall 14 extends from the inner end of an outwardly projecting longitudinally extending flange Ma at the bottom face 17 of the crank case, upwardly and inwardly towards the vertical axial plane Y-Y' of the engine to an inwardly projecting longitudinally extending flange 14b at the top face 18 of the crank case.

Accordingly the wall 14 and its flanges 14a and 14!: comprise in one sense a Z beam B having a depth equal to the distance between the top and bottom of the crank case, with respect to loads or components in the vertical plane; and in another sense comprise a box beam flange having a width equal to the distance between top and bottom of the crank case, with respect-to loads or components in the horizontal plane.

The wall 14' extends from the inner end of a similar outwardly projecting longitudinally extending flange 14a upwardly and inwardly towards the vertical axial plane Y-Y'. Asaforesaid, the wall 14 has the apertures 16 formed therein, and does not extend without a break the entire distance to the top 18. Without the structu'ral reinforcements about to be described, the wall 14' would not be as strong either as a web beam against loads or components in the vertical plane, or as the flange of a box beam against loads or components in the horizontal plane.

Obviously both walls 14 and 14' and their structurally cooperating elements,-should be equally strong against both horizontal and vertical loads or components.

Accordingly the wall 14' extends outwardly intermediate the bottom and top surfaces 17 and 18 of the crank case, and includes at one side an outwardly projecting longitudinally extending flange 14c, and at the other side an inwardly projecting longitudinally extending transversely arched flange 14d, both the flanges 14'0 and 14d ,being located intermediate the bottom and top of the crank case.

The wall 14' and its bottom flange 14'a and top flanges 140' and 14'd comprise a distorted channel beam B which is designed to have suflicient cross sectional area to equal the strength against vertical loads or components, of the Z beam B formed bythe wall 14 and its flanges 14a and 14b, provided that suitable means transmit the vertical loads to the aforesaid crank case side beams B and B of different cross sections, that is a distorted channel section for the one, and a 2 section for the other.

The distorted channel beam B is likewise designed to be substantially equal as a box beam flange against horizontal loads or components, to the strength of the Z beam B. provided that suitable means transmit the loads between the beams B and B.

The means for transmitting loads to and between the side beams B and B include a plurality of longitudinally spaced transverse webs 19, each extending at their lower end between the walls 14 and 14', and at each side between the top and 12g bottom of the crank case, andeach being preferably provided'with a central notch opening 20 .1 The several columns at each side of the center line of the engine,'are preierabh' longitudi nally alined with each other, and their extreme upper ends may be connected by longitudinally extending ribs 22.

As best illustrated in Fig. i, the inner end of the longitudinally extending arched flange 14'd projecting inwardly from the wall 14', preferably connects with the column member at that side of the engine; and the arched flange M'd is spaced a substantial distance below the upper end of the columns, and below the lower edges of the ribs 22, providing clear longitudinally spaced openings between the columns.

The bore in each of the tubular columns re 3 5i Y in the cylinder head 13.

ceives the lower end'23 of an improved clamp bolt 24, each of which includes'an eccentric collar 25 formed thereon intermediate its ends, and each eccentric collar 25 is seated in a counterbore 26 formed in the upper end of the crank case and eccentric to the bore of its column.

The lower end 23 of each clamp bolt extends through the bore of its column, and below the bottom of the crank case through an aperture formed at one side of a main crank shaft bearing cap 27.

The extremity of each lower end 23 of each clamp bolt extends below the cap 27 and is threaded, and a nut 28 is screwed thereon and securely clamps the cap to the crank case, and anchors the bolt 24 in the crank case. Each eccentric head 25 serves to prevent its clamp bolt from turning during the application of the nut 28, and each head also reacts against its nut for anchoring the clamp bolt in the crank case, and the material in the crank case is thus subject to compression between each cap and each eccentric head 25.

In the lower end of each web 19 preferably between each pair of transversely spaced clamp bolts, and in the upper end of each cap 2'7, semicircular complementary seats are formed for a crank shaft bearing 293 secured therein. and the crank shaft 29 is mounted for rotation in the usual manner in the several crank shaft bearings 2913.

The cylinder block 12 includes a plurality of cylinders 30 each of which preferably includes a skirt 31 extending into the upper end of the crank case between the longitudinally and transversely spaced clamp bolts and columns.

The cylinder block 12 also includes a plurality of cylindric tubular columns 32 and 32 registering with the columns 21 and 21' of the crank case, as well as other columns including the columns 32a, 32'b, and 320 registering with the other columns of the crank case, including the columns 21a, 21b, and 21c, respectively.

Each clamp bolt 24 includes above the eccentric collar 25, an upper end 33 extending through the bore of the registering column in the cylinder block, and preferably through a registering bore The extremity of each clamp bolt upper end 33 is threaded and a nut 34 screwed thereon securely clamps the cylinder block and cylinder head to the crank case, forming in effect an integral structure.

In the crank case below the arched flange 14'd and between the wall 14 and the adjacent clamp rods, cam shaft bearings 35 are mounted, and a cam shaft 36 is journalled in the bearings.

A longitudinally extending push rod guide member 3'7, which is also sometimes known as a clus ter, has formed at one side thereof a vertical face 38 which seats against the outer ends of lugs 39 projecting outwardly from the web columns.

Horizontally extending cap screws 40 pass through. horizontal bores in the cluster 37 and are screwed in threaded sockets in the lugs 39;

The cluster 37 includes outwardly extending feet 41, having angled bores therein, through each of which a cap screw 42 extends and is angled downwardly and towards the center line of the engine, and is screwed into an angled threaded bore. in a lug extension 43 of the flanges 14'c and 14d.

The abutting faces between the feet 41 and the lugs 43 are preferably horizontal, and the combined clamping and crowding action of the horizontally extending screws 40 and the downing the cluster serve to stifien the crankcase between bearings.

Each access opening .16 is provided with a cover 45 which may be secured on the engine as by means of screws 46 extending through suitable apertures in the cover, and screwed into threaded sockets in the heads of the screws 40.

The foregoing engine structure thus includes a cylinder block and a separate crank case, with no flanges at the joint between the cylinder block and crank case, and the cylinder block having access openings therein, but being substantially as strong as if it had no access openings, by reason of the distorted channel beam side member, and by reason of the compression clamp connection of the crank case with the cylinder block.

I claim;

1. An engine structure including a crank case, a cylinder block, and a cylinder head, the crank case including spaced side walls and one of the side walls having an access opening formed therein, and the crank case'including from end to end thereof a longitudinally continuous externally flanged beamporti'on located below the access opening, transversely extending webs connecting the side walls and extending from top to bottom of the crank case at opposite sides of the access opening, bores in the webs extending from top to bottom of the crank case, bores in the cylinder block registering with bores in the crank case, bores in the cylinder head registering with the crank case and cylinder block bores, and

clamping bolts extending through the bores and separably connecting the crank case, cylinder block, and cylinder head together.

2. An engine structure including a crank case, a cylinder block, and a cylinder head, the crank case including spaced side walls and one of the side walls having an access opening formed therein, and the crank case including from end to end thereof a longitudinally continuous externally flanged beam portion located below the access opening, transversely extending webs connecting the side walls and extending from top to bottom of the crank case at opposite sides of the access opening, bores in the webs extending from top to bottom of the crank case, bores in the cylinder block registering with bores in the crank case, bores in the cylinder head registering with the crank case and cylinder block bores, clamping bolts extending through the bores and separably connecting the crank case, cylinder block, and cylinder head together, and a collar on each clamping bolt between the cylinder block and the crank case.

3. An engine structure including a crank case, a cylinder block, and a cylinder head, the crank case including spaced side walls and one of the side walls having an access opening formed therein, and the crank case including from end to end thereof a longitudinally continuous externally flanged beam portion located below the access opening, transversely extending webs connecting the side walls and extending from top to bottom of the crank case at opposite sides of the access opening, bores in the webs extending from top to bottom of the crank vase, bores in the cylinder block registering with bores in the crank case,

- bores in the cylinder head registering with the crank case and cylinder block bores, clamping bolts extending through the bores and separably connecting the crank case, cylinder block, and

cylinder head together, and a counterbore at the end of each crank case bore adjacent the cylinder block, and eccentric collars on the clamping bolts, the eccentric collars fitting in the counterbores.

4. An engine structure including a crank case, a cylinder block, and a cylinder head, the crank case including spaced side walls and one of the side walls having an access opening formed therein, transversely extending webs connecting the side walls and extending from top to bottom of the crank case, bores in the webs extending from top to bottom of the crank case, bores in the cylinder block registering with the bores in the crank case, bores in the cylinder head registering with the bores in the cylinder block and the crank case, clamping bolts extending through the bores and connecting the crank case. cylinder block, and cylinder head together, and a collar on each clamping bolt between the cylinder block and the crank case.

5. An engine structure including a crankcase,

a cylinder block, and a cylinder head, the crank case including spaced side walls and one of the side walls having an access opening formed therein, transversely extending webs connecting-the.

, cylinder block registering with the bores in the crank case, bores in the cylinder head registering with the bores in the cylinder block and the crank case, clamping bolts extending through the bores and connecting the crank case, cylinder block, and cylinder head together, and a counter- .bore at the end of each crank case bore adjacent 'the crankcase, bores in the cylinder head registering with the bores in the cylinder block and the crank case, clamping bolts extending through the bores and connecting the crank case, cylinder block, and cylinder head together, and a counterbore at the end of each crank case bore adjacent the cylinder block, and eccentric collars on the clamping bolts, the eccentric collars fitting in the counterbores, and a member extending longitudinally across the transverse webs and removably connected therewith.

'7. An engine structure including a crank case, a cylinder block, and a cylinder head, the crank case including spaced sidewalls and one of the side walls having an access opening formed therein, transversely extending webs connecting the side walls and extending from top to bottom of the crank case, bores in the webs extending from top to bottom of the crank case, bores in the cylinder block registering with the bores in the crank case, bores in the cylinder head'registering with the bores in the cylinder block and the crank case, clamping bolts extending through the bores and connecting the crank case, cylinder block, and cylinder head together, a collar on each clamping bolt between the cylinder block and the crank case, rows of seats formed on the transverse webs, a member extending longitudinally across the transverse webs on the seats thereof, apertures formed in the longitudinally extending member and angled acutely with respect to one row of seats, and screws extending through the angled apertures into the webs and crowding the longitudinally extending member against the other row of seats.

8. An internal combustion motor comprising av crank case; a cylinder block provided with intake and exhaust valves removably supported on said crank case; a cylinder head removably supported on said cylinder block; and common securing means for said crank case; cylinder block' and cylinder head.

9. The combination defined in claim 8 in which said crank case and said cylinder block are provided with co -operating means for aligning said block and said case. I

10. An internal combustion motor comprising a crank case; crank shaft bearings supported within said crank case; bearing caps removably secured to said bearings; a valve supporting cyl- -inder block removably supported on said crank case; a cylinder head removably supported on said cylinder block; bolts extending through said on said crank case; a cylinder head removably.

supported on said cylinder block; said cylinder block supporting intake andexhaust valve mechanism; and common securing means for. removably maintaining said block in said crank case and said head on said block whereby upon removal of said head said'block is free for removal from said crank case.

CHARLES BALOUGH.

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